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Tbilisi to demolish iconic Rike Concert Hall, calling it a 'garbage dump'
🇵🇱 Poland /Culture & Society

Tbilisi to demolish iconic Rike Concert Hall, calling it a 'garbage dump'

From Rzeczpospolita · () Polish

Translated from Polish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Tbilisi's Rike Concert Hall, a futuristic structure built in 2012, is slated for demolition due to its poor condition and lack of functionality.
  • The building, designed by Italian firm Studio Fuksas, has never been used for its intended purpose since its completion.
  • The city's mayor described the structure as a "garbage dump" and has given the owner until December 25 to demolish it and propose a new project.

Tbilisi's striking Rike Concert Hall, a landmark of futuristic architecture located in Rike Park, is set to be demolished. The building, completed in 2012, has remained unused since its construction amidst political upheaval in Georgia and is now deemed beyond repair and functionally obsolete.

Designed by the renowned Italian architectural firm Studio Fuksas, the massive steel and glass structure was intended to become a vibrant cultural hub for the Georgian capital. However, it never hosted a single concert, performance, or exhibition. Despite its unique design, which often sparked mixed reactions among residents and attracted tourist interest, the hall has been inaccessible to the public for 14 years, viewable only from the outside.

You could call it a garbage dump, that's how bad its condition is. It is functionally unjustified, and therefore its owner has decided to demolish it.

— Kakha KaladzeThe Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze, explaining the reasons for the demolition of the Rike Concert Hall.

Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze described the building's condition in stark terms, telling the Georgian portal Inter Press News, "You could call it a garbage dump, that's how bad its condition is." He further stated, "It is functionally unjustified, and therefore its owner has decided to demolish it." The current owner, Makro Constructions, has been given a deadline of December 25 of this year to carry out the demolition.

Following the demolition, Makro Constructions must present Tbilisi authorities with a proposal for a new structure to be built on the site. Mayor Kaladze emphasized the importance of this location, noting that "This is a very important place, so the project must correspond appropriately to its surroundings." The futuristic design of the Rike Concert Hall, which contrasted sharply with the surrounding historic buildings, never garnered widespread public approval, contributing to its eventual abandonment after political changes in Georgia shortly after its completion.

This is a very important place, so the project must correspond appropriately to its surroundings.

— Kakha KaladzeThe Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze, discussing the requirements for a new project to replace the demolished concert hall.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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