Taking the place of the existing building complex that was built in the 70th century for the Soviet Military Headquarters of the Caucasus region, the TBC Bank Headquarters strives towards being an oasis, representing both a nourishing source but also a sense of rescue. Designed by Architects of Invention, their second prize winning proposal offers visitors an experience, a discovery of boundless resource within secure parameters. Visitors enter through the building’s opening, like a key entering a lock, and a lush and fertile oasis appears before them. More images and architects’ description after the break.
The existing complex consists of several building. Special attention is given to the upper blocks (Blocks No: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Structural analysis is done specifically for the main building of the complex. The complex is located on crossroads of the Vake-Saburtalo road and Tamarashvili Avenue opposite the Hippodrome.It is formed in Russian letter П-shape.
The Transcaucasian Military District, a military district of the Soviet Armed Forces, traces its history to May 1921 and the incorporation of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia into the USSR. It was disbanded by being redesignated as a Group of Forces in the early 1990s after the Soviet Union collapse. The complex is located on crossroads of the Vake-Saburtalo road and Tamarashvili Avenue opposite the Hippodrome.
The outside facade is closed but the interior space is enormous, light and expansive, embodying the opportunity and security of belonging to TBC bank as a customer. The essence of this design suggests the strong protection and inner abundance of a financial institution with integrity. The courtyard oasis garden is further illuminated, especially after nightfall by a translucent sphere that acts like the sun or the moon – providing the oasis with a constant glow.
The program of the building is focused two main features – the void and the Oasis courtyard. The void combines functions of a lobby, reception, operation hall and smoking terraces. It acts as a buffer zone before the covered courtyard. Shuttle lifts are connecting the lobby to the senior management offices floor and the sky-garden. Recessed glass wall allows terraces to be used as staff smoking and recreational areas. The courtyard connects all three main volumes of the building on the ground floor and acts as an extended lobby. The covered courtyard has annual subtropical temperature for the orangery which is the main feature of the courtyard. Translucent sphere is a fifty seat conference hall with a gallery spiral space above it. The entrance to the sphere is a bridge though the orangery.
The interaction of the program and the stage of the proposed building emerged based on a number of considerations:
- Primarily, the desire to create a greater lobby and a multipurpose place for the people to create business. - A focus has been given to introducing a void-lobby, which acts as a connection hub for the building complex and an orangery - Introducing the covered courtyard as the main interaction-point of the program was derived from the idea of bringing people to place with an optimal development focus to meet all possible business needs. All functions of the building have separate access points to the courtyard making the platform a secure and ultimately flexible connection zone.
- The project relies on ten plus two underground floors of building program in order to maximize the use of land and budget. - The building has a sky-garden with a direct access from the lobby. - The car park has separate access points from the front and the rear parts of the building thus offering each member of staff park at it’s closest offices block. The senior management team has a separate entrance and car park with a direct access to it’ own office floor.
Architects: Architects of Invention Location: Tbilisi, Georgia Team: Niko Japaridze, Gogiko Sakvarelidze, Dato Tsanava, Eka Kankava, Nika Maisuradze, Nikoloz Gurabanidze, David Dolidze, Eka Rekhviashvili, PM Devi Kituashvili Structural Engineers Consultants: Engenuiti, UK Project Type: Office Building Status: Second prize Program: Lobby, Courtyard, Oaisis, Offices, Business Centre, Cafe, Sky Park etc. Area: 31,958.08m2 GIA (gross internal) – 37,221.01m2 GEA (gross external) – 42,359.83m2
