On 4 November, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva and their daughter Leyla Aliyeva visited AIREX 2026, the First Azerbaijan International Real Estate Exhibition, at the Baku Expo Center.
Organised by PASHA Property Management, the exhibition brings together 61 companies, including 47 local and 14 international participants.
By presidential decree, 2026 has been declared the Year of Urban Planning and Architecture in Azerbaijan. The exhibition highlights the attention the state gives to the development of real estate, architecture and construction. It brings together people seeking to purchase a home, improve their living conditions or invest in property, alongside major investors, company representatives and industry professionals. The exhibition provides an opportunity for market participants to exchange experience and discuss potential cooperation.
Baku White City is one of the world’s most striking examples of modern urban development. The project was launched on 24 December 2011 with the participation of President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva. It was developed around environmental sustainability and smart city principles, incorporating the latest urban planning solutions. Formerly known as Black City, the area was polluted by oil industry waste for more than 150 years. At the initiative of the President of Azerbaijan, an environmental regeneration project rarely seen on this scale worldwide transformed the area into a modern residential district. In a first for the CIS countries, residential buildings were designed in accordance with the international BREEAM environmental certification standard and CRREM requirements for assessing carbon risk. With its wide streets, green spaces and works by contemporary sculptors from around the world, Baku White City has become one of the capital’s most modern districts for living, working and leisure.
As part of the development of Baku White City, a concept for a new museum building has been developed jointly with the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR). The museum will be dedicated to the rich history of Azerbaijan’s oil industry and its leading role in the global energy sector. Its exhibitions will trace the transformation of Black City, once facing an environmental catastrophe, into the modern and sustainable urban district of Baku White City. The building will house an exhibition hall, a library, offices, a restaurant and cafés. The project also includes a 90-metre observation tower overlooking the city and the waterfront.
The Gilavar complex, one of Baku White City’s principal landmarks, brings together public spaces, entertainment venues, dining establishments, yacht clubs and a 49-storey residential tower approximately 185 metres tall.
The complex was designed by ADEC in collaboration with SOM, the American architecture firm behind the Burj Khalifa and one of the world’s leaders in high-rise design.
Baku White City has also become a popular destination for art and culture enthusiasts. Renowned sculptors from around the world have expressed interest in installing their works here. Works already on display include Karabakh Horses, a sculptural group by American sculptor Robert Summers, and Seven Public Clocks, a seven-clock installation created by artist Konstantin Krik specifically for Baku White City and installed in Time Square. The district also features Joseph Klibansky’s bronze sculpture Above the Clouds and British sculptor Simon Gudgeon’s Search for Enlightenment.
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