The first Tbilisi Architecture Biennale TAB, established in 2017, was held from October 26 to November 3 and consisted of an exhibition, installations, film screenings and a symposium, in which, among others, Nina Rappaport, Alexander Brodsky and Reinier de Graaf participated. They discussed the post-Soviet space, new economies, pedagogy of the periphery. Khukhula, built by the architects of KHORA, accommodated an exhibition of their research of one of the peripheral districts of the Georgian capital, and at the same time - a manifesto of "direct" architecture and a reminder of the many hovels and sheds-self-built structures that, according to the authors, surround more southern cities, although northern ones too., to recall at least the old message of Alexander Lozhkin about the aesthetics of unauthorized regions in the suburbs of Novosibirsk.
The authors deliberately withdrew themselves, did not make drawings, they collected the material where they could, and the builders were given only oral recommendations and complete freedom, only observing the process. Meanwhile, the hukhula turned out to be not just a roadside enclosure, but a whole house with a porch and good doors covered with slightly peeling white paint. Inside the pedestal, table, project boards - a fairly typical exhibition stand. Outside, crumpled corrugated board shines, in harmony with the brutally sloppy post-Soviet and late Soviet surroundings - at night the illuminated metal glowed like a lamp, and it is quite obvious that despite the absence of drawings, the authors admire their work: both the radiance from the headlights at night, and the sun glare penetrating through the cracks in the afternoon. It is by no means devoid of aesthetic qualities, on the contrary, it is beautiful - we, in essence, are introduced to the aesthetics of unauthorized construction, which in wide circles it is customary to despise and "cleanse" the city of it.
Meanwhile, as you know, in narrow circles the barn has long been aestheticized, and of course, not only in the post-Soviet space, but in modern art in general. But in our country it acquires a special lyrical coloring of real and warm art in opposition to the large-scale, tasteless and fake. Once, at one of the Arch Moscow exhibitions, Alexander Brodsky, receiving an award-diploma either for the pavilion of Vodka ceremonies, or for a 95-degree restaurant, said something like this: I'm surprised, I'm building some sheds, and you give me prizes for them … In all this there is both meaning, and a phenomenon, both in prizes, and in installations that never cease to appear, and even in individual houses from masters, where no, no, yes, and the echo of "shed" aesthetics flashes through, the main master of which, of course, remains Alexander Brodsky …
The CHORA installation fits well into this worthy circle in general and in particular - the same old doors with panels serve as a good visual clue. Perhaps the most remarkable feature of this work is the emphasis made by the authors on the method itself, a kind of attempt to institutionalize it. Instead of admiring the nuanced layers of meanings, here we find, rather, bringing the theme to a certain logical limit: the aesthetic properties are not forgotten, but a construction experiment takes a significant place, which turns the installation into a "plenipotentiary ambassador", a representative of all hovel shacks at the architectural biennale. or in a sample shack (as, for example, samples of log cabins are exhibited in construction markets). This twist is interesting: as an application for researching a topic.
The next word is given to the authors of the installation:
Huhula: immediacy as a method
Within the framework of the first biennial of architecture in Tbilisi, entitled “Buildings alone are not enough,” the KHORA architectural bureau presented “hukhula” (translated from Georgian means a hastily erected building, a shack or a toy house) - an exhibition pavilion-installation, which housed a specially prepared research project dedicated to one of the peripheral districts of Tbilisi. Our installation is a manifesto of architecture without an architect, taken out into the public arena. Such buildings, due to their originality, remain largely unexplored and are outside the scope of professional architectural discourse, but they are an integral part of the history of the development of many southern post-Soviet cities, including Tbilisi. Khukhuls in our view can be considered an informal cultural heritage, since they most accurately and honestly reflect the economic, political and social contexts in which they exist.
The installation was located in Tbilisi in the Gldani district on the square in front of the DKD bridge (late Soviet construction, partly inspired by Ponte Vecchio) at the site of a temporary parking lot for trucks.
The method and order of construction of the building was important. For the construction, local frequently used budget materials, found residual materials from construction sites and dismantled elements of dismantled objects were used. The working group consisted of local builders and craftsmen. The construction method was similar to how most of the objects we investigated are currently being built: without a project, without drawings, without a building permit and without supervision. We, as architects, acted simultaneously as a customer and an observer, since verbal explanations and wishes were given to the builders. The construction progress, as an integral part of our "project", was documented in the form of photo and video materials. The builders had the right to freely interpret what was stated, thus we managed to maintain the necessary conceptual purity - immediacy. Moreover, electricity was taken from a nearby shoe-maker in exchange for the building materials that were left over from the dismantling of the khuhula.
Another important aspect was at the same time a contradictory and harmonious relationship between interior and exterior. While the outside of the shack was finished with steel profiled sheet, reflecting the diverse surroundings, wood-based materials predominated inside: OSB boards, board and paper. Due to its material and spatial qualities and location, the building, the main idea of which was to conceptually merge with the environment and at the same time grow out of it, turned out to be so organic that a rare passer-by did not enter it to drink homemade wine and chacha.
Authors: KHORA (Mikhail Mikadze, Oyat Shukurov, Alexandra Ivashkevich, Elizaveta Lartseva, Vazha Magradze)
KHORA bureau website: xopapraxis.com / sots. networks: xopapraxis
About the Biennial: https://biennial.ge/the-biennial/ / Participants of the Biennial:
