Battle of interest; Gudiashvili Square
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The story of Gudiashvili Square
Gudiashvili Square is situated in the central part of Tbilisi and is considered as the heart of the old Tbilisi where people used to spend their time, enjoy nature and feel the importance of cultural heritage in this area. Previously the Square was called Abbas Abad Square, after the soviet occupation it was called Alaverdo Square and now it is called Lado Gudiashvili with the name of prominent Georgian artist.
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Conflict of Gudiashvili Square
In 2015 Municipality decided to reconstruct Gudiashvili Square without consulting with people. Though this historic place has changed many times, there was not a serious archeological excavation that showed what we left under the square. There is some historical information that a cemetery existed in this place, also someone’s garden was located in the same territory.
There were several documents which regulated the construction of the old city, also some rules were determined what was allowed and what was not. The times have changed, and the municipality doesn’t always follow in a way it is written.
According to Levan Kalandarashvili there are many exceptions, many pressures on everybody because someone who is rich, wishes to do a change in a way he wants, and it becomes the main conflict.
There were several documents which regulated the construction of the old city, also some rules were determined what was allowed and what was not. The times have changed, and the municipality doesn’t always follow in a way it is written.
According to Levan Kalandarashvili there are many exceptions, many pressures on everybody because someone who is rich, wishes to do a change in a way he wants, and it becomes the main conflict.
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How did the new plan of Gudiashvili Square influence on citizens ?
"The long history shows that these renovations are painful to the place to be renovated. It’s not industrial construction; you are taking steps against the long history. When you dig you may find something you have never known before about the building you are restoring.
This was a different state before the revolution. This life was destroyed in a very short period. They tried to change the long history with the whole short intervention of course for the happiness of the whole society and whole people. Because of the lack of knowledge and lack of understanding, many mistakes were made.
It’s difficult to revise irreversible mistakes; it’s like a tree and you are cutting the roots to have the beautiful one, but it doesn’t grow anymore.
If society is not ready to protest, then worse things are happening, however it’s not enough just to have a protest, this protest should be augmented by knowledgeable society people; architects and restorers who have enough qualification and experience to deal with the issue.
Demonstrators were those people whose heart biting was different from that of a municipal serviceman.
Gudiashvili square has a long story; the problem wasn’t stated, the objective was wrong, and the tasks were not given in a proper way, because that time there was no reconstruction process, no scientific round how to do the construction of the old city. The easiest places to destroy are the artistic streets and new buildings which isn’t a proper response to the issue."
This was a different state before the revolution. This life was destroyed in a very short period. They tried to change the long history with the whole short intervention of course for the happiness of the whole society and whole people. Because of the lack of knowledge and lack of understanding, many mistakes were made.
It’s difficult to revise irreversible mistakes; it’s like a tree and you are cutting the roots to have the beautiful one, but it doesn’t grow anymore.
If society is not ready to protest, then worse things are happening, however it’s not enough just to have a protest, this protest should be augmented by knowledgeable society people; architects and restorers who have enough qualification and experience to deal with the issue.
Demonstrators were those people whose heart biting was different from that of a municipal serviceman.
Gudiashvili square has a long story; the problem wasn’t stated, the objective was wrong, and the tasks were not given in a proper way, because that time there was no reconstruction process, no scientific round how to do the construction of the old city. The easiest places to destroy are the artistic streets and new buildings which isn’t a proper response to the issue."
Levan Kalandarishvili
Co-author of the unrealized winning project on Gudiashvili Square area
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What do constructors say about the current situation of reconstruction?
One of the constructors, Mikheil Kuchiashvili said: "New construction plan is working very well. Buildings need reconstruction because they were really in a bad condition. It’s been 100 years that those buildings are not renovated."
Georgi Vavshanidze, another reconstructor said, it's already 5 years that the reconstruction has started: "We construct something then some damaged parts emerge inside the building and we start setting up other parts also. It takes a year for one building reconstruction."
According to Vavshanidze, new changes are healing ruined buildings; they tried to renovate in a way that it looks like before; no huge changes.
The reconstruction process started from the library's building which was wholly damaged. Blue buildings were being reconstructed from 0 level: " When we did one-part, other parts started crumbling more and more that’s why we had to do all inside construction otherwise people wouldn’t be able to live there with normal conditions. The renovation is not only seen from the outside but also from inside. We are not connected with design, we are only reconstructing." said Vavshanidze.
Georgi Vavshanidze, another reconstructor said, it's already 5 years that the reconstruction has started: "We construct something then some damaged parts emerge inside the building and we start setting up other parts also. It takes a year for one building reconstruction."
According to Vavshanidze, new changes are healing ruined buildings; they tried to renovate in a way that it looks like before; no huge changes.
The reconstruction process started from the library's building which was wholly damaged. Blue buildings were being reconstructed from 0 level: " When we did one-part, other parts started crumbling more and more that’s why we had to do all inside construction otherwise people wouldn’t be able to live there with normal conditions. The renovation is not only seen from the outside but also from inside. We are not connected with design, we are only reconstructing." said Vavshanidze.
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Political decision or Public concern?
"The protest started when the city government published the project of the future reconstruction of Gudiashvili area; they planned to clean all these buildings and install superclass ones. All the spirit of old Tbilisi was completely lost and very soon the protest movements started.
As the former government's policy was strict and the ruling party was separated out from the general public opinion, Gudiashvili square stood one of the reasons for the protest movement. Despite the fact that the protest organizers were always trying to underline that it's not a political protest, it's specifically about the city and urban development of the city.
Society was witnessing how many unique buildings we have found during this engineering and reconstruction activities; all history of old Tbilisi was identified. We can say that mostly it survived and the buildings are quite safe now after the reconstruction.
Though we have this unique square as it was, still the main issue is how to preserve the spirit of Tbilisi life.
Before it was just a usual, old Tbilisi settlement, where people were hanging around, enjoying their lives, now after this renovation, maybe someone wants to sell this property and it would just be taken by some commercial bodies, shops, boutiques or restaurants.
Now we have an economic crisis and the fall of the social guarantees is a personal choice to sell this property at an extra price. Usual city life has changed to entertainment and fashion…"
As the former government's policy was strict and the ruling party was separated out from the general public opinion, Gudiashvili square stood one of the reasons for the protest movement. Despite the fact that the protest organizers were always trying to underline that it's not a political protest, it's specifically about the city and urban development of the city.
Society was witnessing how many unique buildings we have found during this engineering and reconstruction activities; all history of old Tbilisi was identified. We can say that mostly it survived and the buildings are quite safe now after the reconstruction.
Though we have this unique square as it was, still the main issue is how to preserve the spirit of Tbilisi life.
Before it was just a usual, old Tbilisi settlement, where people were hanging around, enjoying their lives, now after this renovation, maybe someone wants to sell this property and it would just be taken by some commercial bodies, shops, boutiques or restaurants.
Now we have an economic crisis and the fall of the social guarantees is a personal choice to sell this property at an extra price. Usual city life has changed to entertainment and fashion…"
Irakli Khvadagiani
Historian
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Resident's perspective on the territory reconstruction
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How the project plan worked ?
"The situation escalated in December 2011, when the visualization of the area was published on the Internet showing that the area was totally transformed into a new fancy area, with different commercial shops on the first floor. It showed that the historical value of the area was not protected and it caused huge protests among citizens.
As a result of the protest, the investment company returned the project back to the city saying they were not anymore interested in carrying out the project because they didn’t know that they should protect or preserve the monuments that are located in the area. So it was not profitable for them to carry on the project. In 2014 when the city hall decided to restore the area it prepared a conservation management plan for the Gudiashvili Square and the ICOMOS was the organization that carried out the project.
What concerns me is that the social part of the project is not taken into consideration, the rehabilitation project very often transforms to GTB (Georgian Travel Bureau) tourism.
It’s also an important topic about public spaces because Gudiashvili Square is a public space. On the visualization of the project it was shown that the anger was that the public space was totally commercialized. Now some of the buildings are nicely renovated but what we are concerned about is the urban issues regarding the renovation."
As a result of the protest, the investment company returned the project back to the city saying they were not anymore interested in carrying out the project because they didn’t know that they should protect or preserve the monuments that are located in the area. So it was not profitable for them to carry on the project. In 2014 when the city hall decided to restore the area it prepared a conservation management plan for the Gudiashvili Square and the ICOMOS was the organization that carried out the project.
What concerns me is that the social part of the project is not taken into consideration, the rehabilitation project very often transforms to GTB (Georgian Travel Bureau) tourism.
It’s also an important topic about public spaces because Gudiashvili Square is a public space. On the visualization of the project it was shown that the anger was that the public space was totally commercialized. Now some of the buildings are nicely renovated but what we are concerned about is the urban issues regarding the renovation."
Nano Zazanashvili
Urban researcher
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Will cultural heritage status buildings still exist?
Though Gudiashvili Square is being renovated, people still consider it as a little natural corner for getting rest. There are 26 buildings located near Gudiashvili Square from which 22 have cultural heritage status and most of them are being renovated now: "Cultural perspective of those buildings will still exist," said Vavshanidze (one of the constructors). Government new plan of Gudiashvili Square is considered as a rescue for the damaged buildings located near the Square. Will it still be a historic place or will it become a commercial center that is still on question?...
Written by Anna Zurabyan
