On 16 January, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received regional manager of French Bouygues company Sharle Santer and Bouygues's commercial director for Central Asian countries Alexei Reshov who briefed the head of state on the pace of implementation of projects commissioned to the company. These are the project on construction of the region largest five-star hotel in the historical center of the Turkmen capital. The guests presented the outline of the hotel interior during the meeting.

Having familiarized himself with the outline, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that this hotel should become a business card of Ashgabat that combines modern design and ancient Turkmen architectural traditions. The head of state recommended that the project should be reviewed to include specific remarks and comments.

On the same day, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov also received Jean Mari Wolf, VINCI company vice president for exports, Terri Raymond Pieze, VINCI group director for development, Andrew Francis Hobson, VINCI chief architect, as well as Philip Bote d'Lakaz, the project director.

They briefed the head of state on the projects of Ruhnama University and Polytechnic University, new buildings for Ashgabat city administration and Halk Bank as well as an Oceanarium. These projects were developed by VINCI specialists in collaboration with Turkmen colleagues and further refined taking into account suggestions and comments made by the president of Turkmenistan earlier.

The head of state said it was important that new buildings harmoniously combine latest architectural trends and elements of national color. In particular, the president said Ruhnama University and Polytechnic University should look more like a modern campus "in line with major reforms under way in Turkmenistan in the sphere of science and education." Elements of national decor, reflecting ancient culture of the Turkmen people, should be widely used in the Oceanarium project as well, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said.