“On a winter evening, when it gets completely quiet, memories come to me of their own accord. Things evoke the appearance of mountains, people who have conquered their peaks are watching from photographs. What a pity that I am not a writer, and I have no words to tell about the beautiful Ushba. About people: whose courage, will and skill, she experiences every year."
1957 "If the mountains could speak."
They would definitely tell a lot. This is how one of the films about the ascent of Ushba, popular in Soviet times, began. The amazing story of the ascent of the six Svan climbers to the impregnable Ushba, the history of friendship and human resilience began last year and our little research on the history of mountaineering with the students; past, culture and architecture of the small mountain people - the Svans.
The result was a series of graduation projects and one large and very important master's thesis dedicated to rethinking the territories of former alpine camps. I must say that since the 1980s, no one has dealt with this topic in Russia. Working on a project taught us, first of all, that the main resource and property of any project is people. Without the help, inspiration and faith in us of many people in Georgia and Russia, nothing would have happened.
For two years we have traveled all over Svaneti, upper and lower. We saw the most famous tourist routes and villages long forgotten by people. We listened to and recorded more than a dozen stories about mountains and people. We climbed the mountains for the sake of one single photograph. We looked under every stone on the site and re-read Svan myths in the evenings. In short, it all resembled a long, difficult, but happy trip. Whether it has come to an end is a question. The planned exhibition in Tbilisi was postponed indefinitely. But there will definitely be something new.
This year's diploma projects, unlike last year's, are not linked by a common theme, but are united by reference to one place - the village of Mestia. The locations chosen by the students are geographically at different heights. We start our way from the center of Mestia with the reconstruction of a quarter in the village of Lehtagi, we pass along the fast and wayward Mestiachala River to a new village-district hiding in the tall grass. Then we slowly begin our way upward, to the mountain shelters of Koruldi and Tetnuldi and the main point of the tourist route - in the direction of Ushba, to the Museum of Crystal going deep into the ridge, the exposition of which is based on a series of Svan myths about the beautiful goddess Dali.
Happy travel and good luck!
PhD in Architecture, Natalia Khomutova.
Reconstruction of a traditional Svan estate / Evgeny Kirillova
The design object is located in the historical quarter, belonging to the Mestia community, which consists of 8 houses (two houses are separated by a road), a tower and the family church of the Chartolani family - Lamaria (Church of the Most Holy Theotokos).
Since 85% of the development is in ruins, it was decided to erect new buildings within the boundaries of the old foundations. Thus, it is planned to restore the integrity of the historical quarter, and to make the architecture itself as neutral as possible, delicately incorporating elements of traditional Svan houses into it, and not depriving the place of its uniqueness. As for the traditional function of these houses, it is not possible to preserve it: a new function was made in all buildings, based on the combination of guest and residential. Thus, a modern tourist quarter is formed within the new "old" walls.
While working on the project, I got to know first-hand the traditions and life of the local population. Svans are open people with strict rules of life. Living in the mountains and cut off from civilization, they are distinguished by their simplicity and gladly accept anyone who comes with good intentions.
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zooming 1/7 Reconstruction of a traditional Svan manor. Author of the work: Kirillova Evgeniya, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 2/7 Reconstruction of a traditional Svan manor. Author of the work: Kirillova Evgeniya, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 3/7 Reconstruction of a traditional Svan manor. Author of the work: Kirillova Evgeniya, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 4/7 Reconstruction of a traditional Svan manor. Author of the work: Kirillova Evgeniya, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 5/7 Reconstruction of a traditional Svan manor. Author of the work: Kirillova Evgeniya, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 6/7 Reconstruction of a traditional Svan manor. Author of the work: Kirillova Evgeniya, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 7/7 Reconstruction of a traditional Svan manor. Author of the work: Kirillova Evgeniya, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
Eco-village in Svaneti / Svetlana Zyubina
The main idea of the concept is to acquaint tourists with the picturesque landscapes and culture of Mestia, forming a symbiosis of a residential village and a guest function. The peculiarity of this project is the minimal change in the landscape and the prevailing environment.
As the main compositional axes, I chose roads, each of which ends in a functional core. Due to this, a planning frame is created. The functional program of the complex includes residential, guest, club, trade, health and entertainment functions.
Traditionally, in all settlements of Svaneti, each clan had a small family church, which, as a rule, served as the center of the community. This image is taken as the basis for the central element of my project. The appearance of the chapel on the central square of the village consists of two images: the inner one, which is the traditional silhouette of Svan temples, and the outer one, the shell, which repeats the silhouette of the ancestral towers, which are the hallmark of Svaneti. At the heart of the large tower is a small chapel.
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zooming 1/8 Eco-village in Svaneti. Author of the work: Svetlana Zyubina, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 2/8 Eco-village in Svaneti. Author of the work: Svetlana Zyubina, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 3/8 Eco-village in Svaneti. Author of the work: Svetlana Zyubina, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 4/8 Eco-village in Svaneti. Author of the work: Svetlana Zyubina, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 5/8 Eco-village in Svaneti. Author of the work: Svetlana Zyubina, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 6/8 Eco-village in Svaneti. Author of the work: Svetlana Zyubina, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 7/8 Eco-village in Svaneti. Author of the work: Svetlana Zyubina, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
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zooming 8/8 Eco-village in Svaneti. Author of the work: Svetlana Zyubina, bachelor. Head: Natalya Khomutova © YaGTU
The territory of the village is divided into plots belonging to different owners. Each of them houses two houses: a two-storey master's house, intended for permanent residence of families, and a guest house - it will be rented out. Thanks to this solution, the hosts will be able to introduce guests to the local culture and life, gather them at a large table, treat them to traditional dishes and talk about their customs. Near each house there is a platform with a fireplace-tower, which refers us to the key detail of the traditional Svan settlement - the ancestral tower.
In the image of each building in the village, I tried to use the traditional details of Svan architecture: shutters, carvings, ornaments, and external balconies. In the Georgian tradition, the ornament demonstrates the formation of national art and reflects a poetic attitude towards the surrounding world. It seemed to me especially important to demonstrate this.
Mountain Shelters / Alexandra Ladygin
I worked on a project for a universal mountain shelter for two different locations: near Lake Koruldi and at the site of the base camp on Mount Tetnuldi.
The concept, developed on the basis of a parametric method, allows you to quickly create the volume of the shelter at any point and at any height, using local material (larch) in conjunction with Corten steel sheathing, resistant to atmospheric precipitation and difficult weather conditions.
The outline in the xy projection is influenced by the movement of avalanche masses along the relief: the greater the avalanche danger, the smaller the angle of inclination of the shelter edges. The algorithm analyzes the topography and the height of the snow cover and decides on the need for supports.
The shape of the shelters should be streamlined: the stronger the vector field that sets the wind flow, the more smoothed the volume at the place of the first contact with it. The optimal slope of the edges varies depending on the amount of precipitation on the site - this is necessary so that snow does not accumulate on the roof of the shelter.
The algorithm distributes solar panels and window openings along the roof, based on the trajectory of the sun. Facade plasticity is achieved by means of recessed frames framing windows and steel false panels on the facades. The layout of the shelters is universal, but it is adjusted depending on the needs of a particular site.
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zooming 1/6 Mountain shelters. Author of the work: Ladygina Alexandra, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 2/6 Mountain shelters. Author of the work: Ladygina Alexandra, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 3/6 Mountain shelters. Author of the work: Ladygina Alexandra, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 4/6 Mountain shelters. Author of the work: Ladygina Alexandra, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 5/6 Mountain shelters. Author of the work: Ladygina Alexandra, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 6/6 Mountain shelters. Author of the work: Ladygina Alexandra, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
Crystal Museum / Victoria Konstantinova
My project is a tunnel museum with cable car stations. The main element of the planning structure is the projected museum building, the main part of which is recessed into the mountain ridge, and the consoles come out to the surface towards Koruldi and Ushba. Visitors will not be able to see the entire volume of the building at once. Only as they approach the end of the exposition, they will discover new views - both natural and architectural.
The concept of the main entrance is an image of ice blocks flanking the ridge. Cantilever volumes and wide sun terraces invite you to linger and feel the unbreakable silence of the landscape, opening up breathtaking views. At night, the glass part is illuminated and creates a counter-image that emphasizes the silhouette of the building and at the same time acts as a beacon for climbers.
Since most of the building is located inside the rock, one of the main objectives of the project was to create an impressive appearance of the interior space. The Crystal Museum is a mythological installation based on the traditional Svan myth about the hunter Betkil and the goddess of the hunt, Dali, who lives on Ushba. Crystal is a means and an image that unites parts of an exhibition space and a myth into a single whole.
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zooming 1/6 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 2/6 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 3/6 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 4/6 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 5/6 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 6/6 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
"At first, high in the mountains, an evil spirit rises in the black chasms of gloomy rocks and envelops the witches' nativity scene on the formidable Ushba with darkness and a whirlwind of snow."Together with the main character, we begin to inspect the exposition, going high into the mountains. “Then an icy wind, a harbinger of bad weather and dark forces, will scream, whirl and rush down the gorges and valleys, destroying stone rubble around mountain lakes on its way …” And we move on and find ourselves in a crystal forest. "Dali, the goddess of the hunt, spotted Betkil, and when he climbed the glacier, she met him, spoke to him, and carried the young hunter to her palaces …" … You can also sit down at the source and enjoy the play of light and shadow on the stones.
Trying to find the right path, the visitor finds himself in ice labyrinths. Mythological crystal objects are hidden inside the glass capsules. From the glaciers we come out to the light pouring from the windows of a house with a traditional interior of a Svan dwelling. This is where the main exposition ends, but this is not the final point of our journey.
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zooming 1/4 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 2/4 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 3/4 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 4/4 Museum of Crystal. Author of the work: Victoria Konstantinova, bachelor. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
Wide glazing lets natural light deep into the museum premises, drawing visitors through the interior space to panoramic windows and an observation terrace, from where you can enjoy the view of the mysterious Ushba. This is how our trip to the mountains ends. And only now visitors can see the second part of the museum.
Dynamic volume tends to the tops. In contrast to the entrance group, it is sheathed in dark metal and creates a completely opposite image. Reflections in panoramic glazing partially dissolve it in the surrounding landscape.
The museum should not only occupy a special place in the functioning of the village of Mestia, providing a connection between the historical part and the mountain peaks, but also become a visiting card, a host object that will make the first - most important - impression on the tourist.
Features of the regeneration of alpine camps /Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov
The collapse of the USSR resulted in a pause in the development of the interethnic sports movement and the desolation of sports and tourist centers. Mountaineering was among the affected sports areas. We believe that the regeneration of the territories of the alpine camps will allow them to realize their tourist potential and make an invaluable contribution to the economy of the regions. To compile a typology, we analyzed all the most famous alpine camps on the territory of the former post-Soviet space.
To test the methodology for the regeneration of the territories of former alpine camps, we took three territories of alpine camps in Svaneti: Zeskho, Ailama and Mestia (Ushba camp site). Before starting work on the formation of a tourist complex of a new type, we thoroughly studied the features of the territory, starting with determining its current state. The absence of surrounding buildings allows the formation of new compositional axes. In the context of mountainous terrain, they will be based on the features of the landscape.
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zooming 1/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 2/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 3/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 4/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 5/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 6/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
Based on the data obtained, we form not only the urban composition, but also the functional program of the territory. We have identified common features that are inherent in all successfully operating bases and complexes. First of all, this is multifunctionality and variability of the scenario, which allows meeting the needs of different categories of visitors.
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zooming 1/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Svaneti. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 2/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Svaneti. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 3/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Svaneti. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 4/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Svaneti. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 5/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Svaneti. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
The formation of a master plan, as in any project, is based on certain compositional axes and rational functional zoning. In this case, the opening of the viewpoints plays an important role. The formed composition of the general plan should reflect the local traditions of the formation of settlements - this will make it possible to embody the genius loci and enhance the atmosphere of local culture.
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zooming 1/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Ailam. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 2/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Ailam. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 3/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Ailam. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 4/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Ailam. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 5/5 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Ailam. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
But the main reflection of the genius loci is still in the formation of volumetric solutions of the complex. Construction in mountainous areas is a complex and labor-intensive undertaking. Mining structures in world practice, as a rule, are limited to 3-5 floors. In such regions, nature comes to the fore, and therefore the silhouette of the complex must exist in symbiosis with it. To achieve what we wanted, we identified two main visual images that we used in the formation of volumes and visual code.
First, it is the image of the mountains surrounding the complex. They define the main characteristics of buildings - massive wall surfaces and pitched roofs. By combining buildings of different heights and roof slopes, it is necessary to create a complex silhouette that emphasizes the broken horizon line. Secondly, it is an image of the architecture of local mountain settlements.
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zooming 1/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Zeskho. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 2/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Zeskho. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 3/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Zeskho. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 4/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Zeskho. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 5/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Zeskho. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
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zooming 6/6 Features of the regeneration of alpine camps. Camp Zeskho. Master's dissertation. Authors of the work: Marina Batalova, Anna Bulatova, Nikita Smirnov. Head: Natalia Khomutova. © YAGTU
All stages of urban composition design and volumetric solutions, which we have listed in the abbreviation, are interconnected and form an integrated approach. We believe that its application to the regeneration of the territories of former alpine camps can give them new life.
