Editing Ashgabat (section)

===Post-1991===
Following independence in 1991, President [[Saparmurat Niyazov]] began hiring foreign architectural and construction firms, most prominently [[Bouygues]] of France and the Turkish firms [[Polimeks]] and Gap Inşaat, the latter a subsidiary of [[Çalık Holding]]. These firms blended Persian-style domes, which Niyazov favored, with Greco-Roman architectural elements such as pillars.<ref name=buig>{{cite web|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/en/node/7529|title=French Bouygues to build new buildings for ministry of foreign affairs and ministry of education in Ashgabat|date=October 29, 2008|publisher=Turkmenistan.ru|access-date=July 26, 2020|archive-date=July 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726045840/http://www.turkmenistan.ru/en/node/7529|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=buig2>{{cite web|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/en/articles/14896.html|title=President of Turkmenistan inaugurates new residence – Palace Complex "Oguzkhan"|date=May 19, 2011|publisher=Turkmenistan.ru|access-date=July 26, 2020|archive-date=October 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026193919/http://www.turkmenistan.ru/en/articles/14896.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=pricey>{{cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/third_turkmen_president_palace/24183704.html|title=Third Palace Is A (Pricey) Charm For Turkmen President|date=May 23, 2011|publisher=RFE/RL}}</ref><ref name=polimeks1>{{Cite web|url=http://polimeks.com/en/polimeks-construction|title=Polimeks Construction With all its projects|access-date=July 26, 2020|archive-date=August 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805200635/http://polimeks.com/en/polimeks-construction|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=gap>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gapinsaat.com/completed-projects|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031213204/http://www.gapinsaat.com/completed-projects|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 31, 2015|title=Gap Inşaat Completed Projects}}</ref>

Following Niyazov's death, domes began to go out of fashion for buildings other than mosques, and public buildings began to take on more [[Modern architecture|modernist]] characteristics, often with a motif reflecting the structure's intended occupant. For example, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building is topped by a globe of the Earth, inside which is a conference center; the Development Bank building is topped by a giant coin; the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry building is shaped like a stylized [[caduceus]], the dental hospital is shaped like a [[Molar (tooth)|molar]] and the international terminal of [[Ashgabat International Airport]] is shaped like a [[falcon]].<ref name=falcon>{{cite web|url=https://www.calvertjournal.com/articles/show/7061/wild-architecture-new-east|title=Architecture gone wild: the 12 most insanely great contemporary buildings of the New East|publisher=The Calvert Journal|date=November 2, 2016|first=Elise|last=Morton}}</ref> The dominant characteristic of new construction since 1991 has been nearly universal facing with white marble.<ref name=lb>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/International/2013/Feb-24/207704-turkmenistan-rebuilds-capital-into-marble-white-city.ashx#axzz2ha0cVVee|title=Turkmenistan rebuilds capital into marble 'white city'|publisher=Daily Star (Lebanon)/Agence France Presse|first=Anton|last=Lomov|date=February 24, 2013|access-date=July 26, 2020|archive-date=July 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726191844/http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Business/International/2013/Feb-24/207704-turkmenistan-rebuilds-capital-into-marble-white-city.ashx#axzz2ha0cVVee|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=ria>{{cite web|url=https://ria.ru/20151217/1342501669.html|title=Ашхабад: беломраморный город любви|language=ru|date=December 17, 2015|publisher=Международное информационное агентство "Россия сегодня"}}</ref> Another recurring motif is the eight-pointed star of [[Oghuz Khagan|Oguz Han]], the largest of which is on the television tower and has entered the Guinness Book of World Records.<ref name=star>{{cite web|url=http://www.turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=133|title=Звезда Огуз хана – в Книге рекордов Гиннесса|language=ru|date=October 30, 2011|work=Туркменистан: золотой век}}</ref><ref name=star2>{{cite web|url=https://www.tema.ru/travel/turkmenistan-1/|title=Туркмения. Часть I. Восьмиконечные звезды и гёли|date=May 31, 2014|language=ru|publisher=Артемий Лебедев}}</ref><ref name=varlamov>{{cite web|url=https://varlamov.ru/1747480.html|title=Ashgabat, Turkmenistan|first=Ilya|last=Varlamov|date=May 29, 2016|publisher=varlamov.ru}}</ref> The official Turkmen government guide book to Ashgabat refers to the star of Oguz Khan as "...the basic dominant of the whole architectural-art decor..."<ref name=guide />

After independence, the city architect's office ordered construction of many high-rise (generally 12-story) residential buildings. Modern construction techniques allow high-rise development with good seismic safety. Primarily consisting of residential towers, the first floor is typically used as retail space and for building maintenance.<ref name=ria/>