Designing the Concept of Tbilisi`s historic district`s development based on public participation principle through the example of “parallel development” (2017)

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The project of the Institute of Georgian Architects had the following goals:

  • Increase public participation into the decision making process related to the urban planning and renovation;
  • Ensure sustainable development of the selected area of Tbilisi through protecting existing community/neighborhood's structures;
  • Create the model and proposal of sustainable urban rehabilitation.

Following activities were implemented in frames of the project:

  • Preliminary meeting-dialogue with neighborhood members together with target groups/stakeholders (municipality, business and socially active groups) representatives;
  • Undertake thorough research of existing technical data (cadastral, civil engineering, other);
  • Analysis of revealed basic information about the needs of the neighborhood related to humanitarian and social, cultural and natural heritage preservation aspects;
  • Coordinate permanent dialogue process for timely and gradual involvement/inclusion of adjacent/interdisciplinary specialists (arts/architecture historians, Civil/Structural engineers, sociologists)  in the project;
  • Elaboration of  sustainable development concept of the neighborhood;
  • Presentation and review of the project with neighborhood members, adjacent/interdisciplinary specialists, social stakeholders; Lobbying  municipality and business groups to promote project concept as important reusable tool;
  • Detection of potential new housing associations and support the parties interested in their formation and coordination;
  • Analyzing and determination of estimated construction costs;
  • Preparation of the harmonized concept of the project that will have the format of Local Regulation and Development plan;
  • Present the concept at the Department of Architect at Tbilisi Municipality;
  • Filming “oral histories” that will be lately disseminated through social media;
  • To start and permanently renew the blog in social media. The blog will contribute to public awareness and professional discussions around the project.

The project implementation period was January-July 2017.