An exhibition of students’ works in landscape architecture opened

An exhibition of works by students from the landscape architecture department was organized at the Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism, and Design of the Georgian Technical University, aiming to showcase student creativity and professional skills.

More than 20 second-year bachelor’s students from the Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism, and Design participated in the exhibition, which focused on the open recreational space adjacent to the first building of the GTU.

According to Professor Nugzar Khvedeliani, the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism, and Design, the assignment given to the students incorporated all aspects of an educational space. It included mobility, flexible communication among students from different faculties, as well as functions for education, exhibitions, work, entertainment, recreation, and shopping. Additionally, the exhibition showcased various landscaping concepts in digital format for areas such as Digomi Forest Park, Digomi Marshes, the vicinity of the Tbilisi Sea, the Old Hippodrome, and Makhata Mountain.

“Landscape architecture is a vital field in urban development, particularly in our cities, where there is a noticeable shortage of green spaces and environments conducive to human well-being. The projects created by our students aim to develop their professional skills while addressing urgent social challenges. The work presented by second-year students demonstrates their ability to systematically integrate architecture, environmental protection, social function, and cultural context into a cohesive design vision. I particularly appreciate how the educational process is connected to real urban spaces. Reimagining the area around the faculty was not merely a theoretical exercise; it was an opportunity to engage student creativity in actively shaping the city,” says the dean.

Professor Tamar Chanturia, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism, and Design, notes that students have developed projects that explore ways to transform the space of GTU’s first academic building into an area for both educational use and public interaction and recreation. Their projects propose the creation of multifunctional zones that not only facilitate educational and exhibition environments but also integrate mobile workstations, green spaces, student cafes, small retail outlets, and an open amphitheater into a unified ecosystem.

“The exhibition aroused great interest. The visitors were particularly interested in the landscape improvement concepts presented in digital format, which include the development of various urban or semi-wild spaces. Among them, the following stand out: ideas for using the recreational potential of the Digomi Forest Park, which involve the arrangement of eco-resorts, preservation of biodiversity and placement of eco-pavilions for educational purposes; concepts for the biophilic architecture of the Digomi marshes, where students developed integrated water resource management systems and infrastructure focused on preserving the natural environment of flora and fauna; projects for transforming the area adjacent to the Tbilisi Sea into a recreational and cultural center, which includes exhibition spaces, children’s zones, water sports infrastructure and landscape art; the concept of an urban forest was discussed in the territory of the old hippodrome, which will create a green space in the city. It will serve the function of a “filter” and will also serve social integration, promote a healthy lifestyle and raise ecological awareness; Makhata Mountain projects particularly emphasize the harmonious integration with historical and cultural values, consider the arrangement of spectacular paths, meditative spaces and viewpoints in such a way that the natural landscape is preserved as much as possible. The exhibition showed that landscape architecture is much more than just the creation of an aesthetic space. It is a complex solution to social, ecological, and functional issues. The visions presented by the students in this direction show that the new generation has understood the trends of modern urban development and is ready to contribute to the formation of a sustainable future for the city,” says Tamar Chanturia.

The exhibition will run until July 11.