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In Memory of Water
In Memory of Water
International Architectural Competition
Tbilisi Architecture Biennial 2024. Correct Mistakes
Location: Tibilisi, Georgia
Year: 2024
Associated Studio: Balsa Crosetto Piazzi
How do we mourn an ancient waterfall that was once loud and majestic? Building a bridge is to us a subtle intervention with the intention of making visitors aware of the former presence of water on the site and its subsequent disappearance. It creates an intimate space for people to engage with the Tbilisi Sea, its natural ecosystem, and its significant history as part of a large irrigation system.
The bridge becomes an intimate refuge that offers visitors a pause to mourn what is no longer there and to value the bodies of water that are still part of our cities. How much time do we need to internalize the disappearance of a river? The erasure of a waterfall? Is it 10 minutes? 10 years?
The bridge is a provocation. The mere construction of the bridge makes explicit the absence of the water once coming from the Ivri River. It serves as a clue to remember the ancient waterfall.
The project is built in pine wood, which is later burnt to provide protection as well as a darker finish. Inside, the bridge incorporates a long bench made with the same wood, offering visitors the possibility to
take a moment, sit, and enjoy the landscape around them. In other words, we envision the bridge to be a “long room with a view,” allowing people to inhabit the border of the Tbilisi Sea.
“In Memory of Water” aims to create a small public space for self-introspection on the edge of the Tbilisi Sea, atop the ghost of a former active canal. It serves as a viewpoint from where we can look around and reflect on the power of water and the crucial need to take action and protect the environment, preventing other waterfalls from being silenced, from disappearing.
The bridge is a sanctuary for Water, which took the shape of a powerful and noisy waterfall that once inhabited this place. It is a place to learn, to mourn and to appreciate the beauty and power of water.