The studio explores Tbilisi’s complex urban and territorial conditions, shaped by shifting regimes, geopolitical tensions, and topographical constraints. Positioned at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, the city reveals layers of Persian, Ottoman, Russian, and Soviet influence, now entangled with Georgia’s evolving role within the New Silk Road.

During the study trip, the student collective explored the fabric of Tbilisi, traversing its fractured urban landscapes and contested public spaces. The journey revealed the city’s paradoxical nature—where centuries-old caravanserais coexist with rapidly transforming riverbanks, and Soviet infrastructural relics merge with speculative real estate projects. The spatial conditions examined ranged from the rugged terrains of the Caucasus foothills that dictate the city’s morphological constraints to the dense informal settlements that challenge conventional notions of urban order.

The selection of sites and programmatic considerations presented in the work highlight the critical issues addressed in the studio, framing the early stages of the graduation projects. Through cartographic analysis and experimental design methodologies, the projects explore the spatial manifestations of economic asymmetries, migratory patterns, and territorial reconfigurations—seeking to articulate counter-strategies within an environment of perpetual transition.

Participants:

Betül Anıker

Daria Pietruczynik

Isa Schlesinger

Jilles Rodenburg

Luna van Arendonk 

Michael Zihan Xu

Rocco Piantelli

Shruti Bangari

Shucheng Zhang

Ted van Duin

Zhi Zheng

Tutors:

Marc Schoonderbeek

Stefano Milani

Filip Geerts

Oscar Rommens

Negar Sanaan Bensi