"Reorientation of Industrial Areas as a Prerequisite for New Development: The Case of Kutaisi" The Vision for the Development of the Former Industrial Area

Abstract

The topic involves an analysis of the architectural and planning development of a former industrial site located in the Sulkhan-Saba (Avan-gardi) and Vake neighborhoods of Kutaisi. It highlights the presentation of the remaining history in the graphical materials and explores future perspectives based on conclusions.

Kutaisi is one of the oldest cities, which over the years has expanded and developed. In the second half of the 19th century, the city grew rapidly, and in 1872, a plan for dividing the city into districts was created. After the establishment of Soviet rule in Georgia in 1921, new stages of urban development began in Kutaisi. By February 1, 1932, the city had a population of 61,794 and covered an area of 26 square kilometers. By the end of the 1950s, typical social projects, an automobile factory, a lithophone factory, and others appeared in Kutaisi. According to Kutaisi’s third general plan (1976), three administrative districts were planned: Lenin, Orjonikidze, and the South. The southern district was located south of I. Chavchavadze Avenue and consisted of two planning areas: the Rioni and Ninotsminda areas. These territories were predominantly agricultural lands and homesteads at that time. The general plan provided for the creation of new residential areas; however, taking inspiration from the industrial zones of foreign cities, today we consider the development of one of the neighborhoods built according to the third general plan of Kutaisi. The area, one of the industrial and residential zones, is shown in the map (Kutaisi Reconstruction and Development, Third General Plan, 1975). The area depicted is in the southwestern part of Kutaisi, situated between Sulkhan-Saba Avenue and Tabukashvili Street. In this area, the former flour mill buildings are located.

These areas represent private property areas, although the majority are still state-owned. The second-largest flour mill in Georgia employed up to 1,000 people, processing wheat daily and shipping it across various regions of Georgia. The mill provided wheat flour to all of western Georgia, and not only Georgia; it operated until 2001, then ceased functioning. In 2006, the flour mill was transferred to Turkish business owners. This area is equipped with engineering infrastructure, and there is an irrigation canal adjacent to it, as well as a railway spur through which wheat was delivered to the factory. The site borders T. Shevchenko Street, a railway line, Sulkhan-Saba (Avant-garde) neighborhood, Vake neighborhood, and has direct transport links to the southern Nikia settlement.

Today, the topic of discussion is specifically the development vision for this site and its role in revitalizing the so-called "sleeping neighborhoods." The project site has a simple geometric layout, a rectangular plot, and is organically connected to transportation infrastructure, making it accessible by both private and public transport. The planning philosophy is based on a strict geometric-functional idea, in which volumes, their arrangement, scale, and stylistic solutions are consistent with the historically formed environment but also come into conflict with the landscape and setting. Despite the fact that the buildings of the flour mill have been dismantled, the territory still retains elements of that period, such as the so-called 'Teplaozi', which could potentially be transformed into a historical monument.

Before discussing the functional purpose changes of the existing buildings on the proposed site, let's look at some well-known global examples with similar themes.

 One such example is: Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa) - located in Cape Town, South Africa, at the V&A Waterfront, it is the largest museum of contemporary African art in the world. The building was created by converting a 57-meter-high historic grain silo, originally built in 1921 and put into operation in 2001. The architects of Heatherwick Studio aimed to preserve the industrial heritage of the original structure while also creating large open spaces for galleries and a central atrium. The architectural solution involves adding glass panels and using innovative cutting techniques, transforming the interior of the building. The museum complex spans 9,500 square meters and includes exhibition spaces, educational zones, a sculpture garden, a restaurant, and a hotel. It serves as an important cultural center for contemporary African art.

Another similar example is the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow. Founded in 2008, the museum was originally housed in a former bus depot and later moved to Gorky Park. The building, designed by Rem Koolhaas, was carefully renovated to preserve the Soviet-era architectural features while integrating modern elements.

Returning to the main subject of this dissertation, which concerns the vision for the development of the former industrial territory, including the preservation of the former flour mill buildings and silo structures, the spatial solution is based on the existing volume of the former flour mill, which serves as the functional and aesthetic axis of the entire complex. The background volumes acted as spatial components, and their tectonic features were resolved through bold, often futuristic architectural approaches. This reflects the postmodern spatial perception found in Western literature of the 1970s-1990s, as well as the avan-gardi ideas of the 1920s, such as Suprematism and Cubism.

The silo towers of the mill are repurposed into grand exhibition spaces. These spaces allow direct communication between visitors and the artworks in a way that traditional museum spaces cannot provide. The silos are used as exhibition objects themselves, with each silo offering additional exhibition spaces, creating a "museum within a museum" concept.

The spatial-functional solution of this concept allows visitors to experience art in a unique way, with an engaging connection to the works.