By Bekir Bektas

ANTALYA, Turkey

A Turkish architect's project won a competition in Kazakhstan which will be realized for a history and culture center in the Kazakh city of Turkistan.

Turkistan Architect Awards -- which has five main categories and 15 sub-branches -- was launched for the establishment of 15 public buildings in Turkistan.

Mehmet Hilmi Sahin joined the competition in the category of "Cultural and Historical Center Khans and Biys."

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Sahin said his project, which was influenced by symbols of Turkish history and culture, will be implemented in Turkistan.

The design was inspired not only by the Central Asian culture but also by the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, he noted.

The architect said the eight-cornered star he used in his project is an important symbol used in many works of Turkish history, including in Turkistan and the Balkans.

"I am delighted to have won this international competition as a Turkish architect in which the Turkish history and culture are emphasized," he added.