New Masterplan for Georgian Railways

GRAFT, an architecture and design company, has developed a master plan for the Didube Chughureti District in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. It's a part of an innovative business corridor in the northern area of Tbilisi’s city centre.

Arch Daily reports in its article GRAFT's Masterplan for Georgian Railway Headquarters Mimics the Natural Curve of a Railway Junction that the master plan for the business district attempts to provide its inhabitants with a healthy working environment by balancing scenic landscaping with the necessary amenities.

The overall complex consists of a pair of complimentary towers: the main tower, in particular, will house the head offices for the Georgian Railway Company. Elements of the façade reflect the railway. The facades, themselves, appear to divide in a similar way to a railway junction. At the base of the tower, the descending curve of the façade plateaus, creating a roof for the new open-air museum, which features locomotives from the Georgian Railway Company.

An essential aspect of the master plan is the large public squares that serve as multi-functional gathering spaces and transitional spaces between the complex’s many functions. These areas of landscape design were closely integrated into the overall architecture of both towers. GRAFT specializes in architecture, design, and urban development providing a multi-disciplinary design approach to the project.

Particular architectural features enhance one of the design team’s major design goals – meshing the buildings into the existing landscape. The curvilinear façade mimics the base of a tree growing out of the ground, creating an even stronger transition between the urban landscaping and the building architecture.

The new open-air museum features locomotives from the Georgian Railway Company, and for the first time brings together all their exhibits, vehicles and historic artefacts in one place. The atrium combines social areas and cafeteria as well as a large public staircase that serves as a place for people to rest, meet and discuss, and to draw inspiration from past, present and future means of transport.