Introduction
The year 1992 is the breakpoint in Georgian modern history,
the year which divides Georgian 20th century into two autonomous parts. After
seventy years as part of the Soviet Union suddenly, Georgia has become an
independent sovereign state. The historical moment, which can be compared to
the situation in Czech and Slovak Republics, which opened new horizons of
European integration and economic growth. However, the political change in Georgia
resulted in the biggest economical depression and total social collapse in the
modern history. In 1992 the country economy decreased to one fourth of the 1988
level. Unemployment and money inflation raised into astronomic rates. Social
deprivation led to political crisis which opened the way to civil war in the
summer of 1992 in Tbilisi, and immediately led to war in Abkhazia in the years
of 1992-1994.
Relatively rich and prosperous Republic of Soviet Georgia and
its capital Tbilisi suddenly fell into
a boiling pot. The Image from the
postcards of 80´s, which used to promote the most developed part of the Soviet
Union apart from Moscow was in flames. Architecture as a significant
representation of the regime and prosperity reflected all the indicated
political and economic changes. After the civil war in 1992 and consequential
changes in society, the image of Tbilisi has rapidly changed. The social
unstability resulted in unregulated urban sprawl. Undoubtedly important role in
this story played also the entry of Postmodernism, which relativized and
rejected Modernism and seeked to return to the lost tradition. All factors
together opened a way for self-organized transformation of public space and
endless prefabricated housing estates.
Currently, Georgia deals with the process of European
integration. Westernization of the city influenced the architecture as well.
The era of unorganized 90´s self-organization seems to be finished and ready to
be analyzed from social and cultural historical points of view. On the other
hand, what seems to be for the local citizens a harmful scarp on the
architectural image of the city, for the foreign observer is a physical showing
of architecture vibrated under the pressure of external socio-political
factors.
Georgian late modernism and Ministry of Highways
Georgian architecture and housing development was during the
second half of 20th century good example of soviet prosperous development. The
design process and palnning was organized by central state-owned planning companies.
As instance Gosstroy, responsible for housing development and urban planning.
Design and urban planning were organized similarly as in Czechoslovakia. Few of
well known georgian architects, with good references were allowed to be
organized under the central projection company in an autonomous regime.
Compared to the situation in central European countries, the
rise up of the Modern Movement had no time to developed in Georgia. In 1923 the
whole South Caucasian region became part of the newly formed Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics. Shortly after this, in the end of 20´s, Georgia was forced
to accepted official art and architectural style of the Socialist realism.
During the soviet era, Georgia had no direct contacts to the western European Modern
Movement. Khrushchev's de - stalinization of the USSR[i]
in the late 50´s and beginning of 60´s has a strong impact on soviet
architecture. In the need for cheaper and more efficient construction process,
in the Soviet Union was introduced the term of ,,housing industrialization“.
New architectural aims of 60´s officially opened door ,,back“
to the roots of international modernism. Due to this, late 60´s and 70´s
represents the most successful era of Soviet architectural design, so as well
for Georgian architecture. Economic situation and social improvement led to
think about marvelous design which had to come in 70´s. One of the best
examples of such architecture is undoubtedly the Ministry of Highways in
Tbilisi.
(Photo 1)
Probably the most well known architectural structure of
Georgia recognized in the whole world was designed in 1973 by architect Georgi
Chakhava[ii].
Massive structure of vertical and horizontal beams stood on the edge of
Saburtalo plateau. The site is steeply sloping down into Mtkvari river. This
extraordinary structure is actualization of the architectural ideas of such
visionariness such was Yona Friedman´s Spacial City, Kenzo Tange´s Metabolism
or work of Czech architect Karel Prager[iii].
Three vertical massive columns set in the steep slope bears and interconnects
composition of two storey high horizontal volumes overlayed on each other. This
administrative building became internationally famous. After its completion the
whole architectural team and workers was honoured by the USSR price[iv].
The building became abandoned in 2005, but finally the
structure was adopted by local Bank of Georgia, which in the terms of heritage
restoration adapted building to become its headquater. During the time of
abandoness there was organized public art project which dealt local public with
local as well as international art participants with the topic of post soviet
architectural heritage[v].
This project helped to promote the architecture and reminded its architectural
qualities, which are currently, after 40 year from its completion still
breathtaking.
Architectural transformation and Kamikadze loggia
Postcards from 60´s till 80´s shows Georgia as the sunny
pearl of Soviet Union. Summer holiday resorts on the Black sea coastline in
Abkhazia was a Soviet version of Cote d´azur in France. The Hotel resorts in
Gagra and Pitsunda was good examples of pure modernist aesthetics and modern
urbanism of collective recreation. Summer ,,mediterranean“ atmosphere was
evident even in the streets of Tbilisi. Green city without visual smog, clear
street lines, no unexpected development. Due to Abkhazian war and civil war in
Tbilisi in the beginning of the 1990´s all of this disappeared.
Last decade of the 20th century is in the east European
countries associated with social and economic transformation from socialist
state planned economy into the free market – liberal economy. In all these
countries is this transformation connected with unexpected deliberated urban
development. New housing estates and private investment occurred in the
landscape of Tbilisi. Privatisation of state owned land, in many cases meant
privatisation of public space, public greenery or protected areas. This process
is in Tbilisi common till nowadays.
Probably the most controversial phenomenon, which changed the
image of the city was not caused by private land development, but private
housing extensions[vi].
From the last years of Soviet era till the first years of 21st century,
hundreds of thousands of Georgians extended their living space of prefabricated
panel flats as well as older housing development with self-organized extensions
called Kamikadze loggia[vii].
The self sufficient external structure of steel only slightly connected to
original concrete structure of the house. Each flat which participated in
neighborh organized development was extended by 40 sq. meters of new flat area.
Some of these loggias on lower floors are even independent
from original structure and connected to the street with external staircase.
Materiality, size of windows and visual concept of each loggia was created by
owners themselves. This new layer now covers almost every housing block in
Tbilisi. Finally, the former visual quality of grey ordinariness[viii]
of the housing blocks was in less than decade attorned into neverending
variation of materiality, shapes, colour and quality. This layer created new
ornament of Georgian ordinarity – the new image of the city.
(Photo 2)
Term ,,Kamikadze Loggia“ was first time used by Russian
journalist who lined up connection between Tbilisi self- organized housing
development, Georgian regular family name ending (-dze, e.g. Dumbadze) and
romantic as well as heroic aspect of Japanese suicide warriors in the WWII.[ix]
On the first sight, there is obvious suicidal character of Kamikadze Logias. Rough
steel structure inhabitated by the new dwelling opens the question of safety.
From time to time in Tbilisi is happened, that Kamikadze loggias collapsed. In
one case the whole side of 12 storey house collapsed and all Kamikadze loggias
felt down one on to another. Officially no person was hurt or killed in this
kind of accidence.
If we look back in Georgian history and architectural
typology, the occurrence of the phenomenon of Kamikadze loggias is not as big
surprise. Loggia as typology itself, the open air covered porch or balcony is
crucial form of Georgian architecture. Each detached house from ancient time
through wooden huts in the mountains to modern family house of 21th century has
this kind of architectural feature. Loggia is the main communication room. Open
air corridor or great hall – sala terrena which can held all forms of family
gathering. Even in great housing projection of 60´s – 80´s the loggia of the
size of a small room was basic part of flat typology with the same importance
as living room or bedroom.
(Photo 3,4)
Georgians has great sense for living spirituality. Wine
culture is the fundamental stone of the society. Loggia is the place where wine
drinking connects social and natural aspect of life. In consequence, Kamikadze
Loggias extensions has added new layer to the broken dream of modernity,
socialist utopia. As in the story of Phoenix - from the ashes of the dead
utopia rised up new life. Kamikadze Loggia is symbolical acceptance of the
traditional cultural roots with repetitive aspect of layering, reborning and
re-creation.
Conclusion
Georgia was for decades associated with political
destabilization, war in Abkhazia or recently by war in South Ossetia.
Architectural heritage of this country was overlooked. Political, economic and
social vibrations of the last decades had strong impact on Georgian
architectural heritage of the 20th century. The situation in context of public
acceptance of architectural heritage of 60´s to 80´s has common features in all
east European post - soviet as well as post – socialist republics. Compared to
central European discourse in this topic, in Georgia the lack of developed
civil society is obvious. Drastic historical curve of the 90´s even postponed
creation of this important political feature. In 2013, on the 55th
Art Biennale in Venice, Georgia was represented by extraordinary storytelling.
A temporary pavillion build in Arsenale as the collage of Kamikadze loggias was
a manifesto to upper mentioned phenomenon. This was for the first time, what Georgia
could have retell its own recent history of architecture and art. The new
generation of young artists in Georgia had have strong attitude to cope with
Caucasian architectural heritage as part of their modern national history and
cultural memory.
Author: Mgr. art. Martin Zaiček
The article was wrtiten during the author´s stay in Tbilisi
based on Artist in Residency Programme in 2015 organized and funded by K.A.I.R
Košice in partnership with organization GeoAIR Tbilisi.
[i] See: The
crimes of the Stalin era, special report to the 20th congress of the Communist
Party of the Soviet Union. (1956). https://archive.org/details/TheCrimesOfTheStalinEraSpecialReportToThe20thCongressOfThe on 14.02.2015
[ii] WARSZA,
Joana.(ed.): Ministry of Highways: A Guide to the Performative Architecture of
Tbilisi. The Other Space Foundation. Warsaw. 2011. p.23-34
[iii] Karel Prager´s
design concept for housing complex for Košiře district in Prague had the
similar income conditions and comparable outcome architectural design as was
finally realized in Tbilisi by architect Chakhava. see: HRUDOVÁ, Hana.: Design
magazin: Vize Karla Pragera na výstavě Město nad městem.
[iv] WARSZA,
Joana.(ed.): Ministry of Highways: A Guide to the Performative Architecture of
Tbilisi. The Other Space Foundation. Warsaw. 2011. p33
[v] As well there
[vi] In response to
Gorbachev´s ambitious plan of 1985 to
produce still more housing, the Gosstroy projection office found creative
solution. It was decided to allow and encourage the inhabitants of existing
housing blocks to join togehter and construct multi-storey additions to their
building at their own expenses. This addition was then inhabited by the
self-organized structure as the extension of the floor area of each flat. In: RITTER, Katharina., SHAPIRO-OBERMAIR,
Ekaterina., STEINER, Dietmar., WACHTER, Alexandra.: Soviet Modernism 1955-1991.
Park Books. Zürich. 2012. p156
[vii] Kamikadze
Loggia: Georgia at the 55th International Art Exhibition – La
Biennale di Venezia
[viii] COWLEY, David.:
The fate of the last generation of ultra-modernist buildings in Eastern Europe
under communist rule. In Modernism: Between Nostalgia and Criticism. source: http://www.archfondas.lt/leidiniu/en/alf-02/david-crowley-fate-last-generation-ultra-modernist-buildings-eastern-europe-under-communist-r from the date: 06.01.2015
[ix] WARSZA,
Joana.(ed.): Ministry of Highways: A Guide to the Performative Architecture of
Tbilisi. The Other Space Foundation. Warsaw. 2011. p14
Photo
1: Former Ministry of Highways in Tbilisi on Marjvena Sanapiro (photo: Simona
Rota) In: Soviet Modernism 1955-1991. Park Books. Zürich. 2012. p152
Photo
2: example of Kamikadze loggia. External structure parasitize on prefab panel
house. (photo: Andrea Kalinová)
Photo
3,4: examples of Kamikadze loggia. Variants of materiality or shapes has no
limits, even elevation of the floor does not interfere (photo: Andrea Kalinová)
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