Excavators Play Chess at Astana Data Center Construction Site

Social media users spotted an unusual scene during a live broadcast of the construction of the Akashi Data Center in Astana.

The footage showed two construction excavators moving giant chess pieces across a chessboard installed at the construction site. The video quickly went viral on Telegram and other social media platforms.

The unusual display was part of a celebration of International Chess Day organized by the project team and the Kazakhstan Chess Federation (KazChess).

«We recently launched a 24-hour livestream of the construction on our website and thought it would be interesting to occasionally stage small performances at the site. It’s a great way for people to visit the construction site virtually, whether they’re following the project’s progress or simply curious about what’s happening there,» Akashi said.

According to the company, the chess match was only the first in a series of creative initiatives. Additional installations and performances inspired by seasonal events, holidays and other special occasions may appear at the construction site in the future.

The Akashi Data Center, currently under construction in Astana, is set to become the largest commercial data center in Central Asia and the region’s first commercial Tier IV-certified facility. Fewer than 3% of data centers worldwide meet this standard of reliability. The project’s construction progress can be viewed in real time on its official website.