Designing and national pride

Abstract

The Rose Revolution, which led to the presidency of Mikhail Saakashvili, initiated economic allocations for the development of services and infrastructure in major cities. In 2005, the Georgian administration sought essential names from the architectural scene to invite them to participate in the competition to redevelop Rikhe, a neighbourhood in the centre of Tbilisi, wishing to draw attention to the capital. Internationally renowned designers competed, including Massimiliano Fuksas, Shin Takamatsu and a supergroup consisting of Michele De Lucchi, David Chipperfield, Leopoldo Freyrie and Marco Pestalozza.