Rose Square

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Project type

First prize competition, urban development

Status

In progress

Location

Tbilisi, Georgia

Time

2016

Size

8,000m²

Client

New Office LLC

In 2016 GRAFT won a competition to design Rose Square, one of the few public spaces in the city of Tbilisi. It is uniquely situated between the Radisson Blu “Hotel Iveria” and Radisson Telegraph, with an open view to the north of the city. Currently it is little more than an in-between space used for parking.

The new Rose Square is conceived as a folded surface, floating above ground. It hovers over the city center, connecting the different levels and areas. The new square is partly inclined, connecting it with the underground areas the square was originally built on in the 1970s and creating a new retail and restaurant area, along with sunken gardens. An underground pedestrian route links the hotel to the Boulevard Rustaveli. The design picks up the distinct features of the capital’s terraced topography and revives the potential of a varied urban landscape.

The two-level public space creates a space of calm while guiding the flow of visitors through a continuous landscape. Cut-outs in the square’s surface connect urban routes passing through the space and additional design elements demarcate places to stop and stay at the east and west ends of the square. The new Rose Square is a multifunctional public space, offering different features and facilities for visitors. The main area at the very heart of the area is conceived as an urban amphitheater, a forum for the public as well as for spontaneous performances.

The area in front of the Radisson Blu Hotel in Tbilisi, Georgia, is the Cour d’Honneur of the Hotel Iveria with a vibrant character and seasonal water elements. GRAFT also designed and planned the refurbishment of the Hotel Iveria in 2009. In the warm Georgian summers, the water mirrors the sky and fountains refresh passing visitors, while in winter the space can be used for ice skating.