The teaching of the discipline of urbanism originates from the 1960s in the Department of Architecture Planning. Under the name of "city planning design".
It was during this period that the pedagogues formed the core of the pedagogues of the Department of Urbanism. Among them were: Givi Beridze, Givi Shavdia, Giorgi Shaishmelashvili, Giorgi Salukvadze, Vladimir (Lado) Vardosanidze, Otar Nakhutsrishvili, Ekaterine (Chiora) Tevzadze, Tengiz Makharashvili, Pavle Dzindzibadze. Together with them, Marika Pochkhua, Maia Javakhishvili, Temur Kldiashvili, Merab Bolkvadze, Temur Zedelashvili, Temur Bochorishvili, Irakli Murghulia, Nino Chkheidze are engaged in teaching activities.
Among the first generation of urban planning teachers, the recognized city planners of the country left a special mark: Alexander Nikolaishvili, Bidzina Maminaishvili, Nodar Mikadze.
Professor Giorgi Shaishmelashvili was the founder and first governor of the Department of Urban Studies in 1992-1995. From 1996 to 2005, the cathedra was headed by professor Tengiz Makharashvili, in 2005-2006 by architect Pavla Dzindzibadze, from 2006 the chair was again headed by full professor Giorgi Shaishmelashvili.
Since 2008, the department has been named the direction of urban planning (urbanism). In the direction of urbanism, academic disciplines are taught: urban ecology, urban (city-building) reconstruction, landscape architecture, the basics of urban planning theory, urban rehabilitation, city engineering arrangement and transport, and others.
The academic discipline "Urban Ecology", the founder of which is Professor Giorgi Salukvadze, aims to educate highly qualified specialists in the field of city ecology, to form the student's ability to learn about the protection, preservation, restoration and improvement of the city's ecological environment. Students master the basic concepts and laws of urban construction ecology, the causes of ecological problems, means of studying the state of the environment, methodological foundations of urban construction ecology, get acquainted with the experience of the homeland and foreign countries.
The aim of the academic discipline "Urban (city-building) reconstruction" is to teach the student the basics of urban reconstruction design; to realize the essence of reconstruction as a continuous process aimed at overcoming the inconsistency of the spatial-planning structure of the city with social requirements; To create a complete idea of such a key provision of urban rehabilitation as the unloading of the historical center of the city from inappropriate functions and excessive traffic flows and the formation of new poles of attraction outside the historical center; principles of urban reconstruction based on sustainable development requirements; International conventions and charters in the field of urban reconstruction and monument protection.
The introduction of the academic discipline "Socio-cultural foundations of urban development" (leading professor Vl. Vardosanidze) into the architectural-educational process was determined by the need to overcome the narrow, technocratic vision of urban development. One of the most important trends in today's public life is establishing the priority of humanistic principles. This kind of trend is especially relevant in the process of urban planning and urban environment formation. The architectural object everywhere and always reflected not only the individual vision of its author, but also the socio-cultural context. Thus, it is of particular importance for the student to understand the principle that the urban environment and its constituent elements represent the material embodiment of the socio-cultural processes taking place in the society.
The academic discipline "Landscape Architecture" aims to teach the student the basics of landscape design, stages of development of landscape architecture, styles, directions and trends in landscape design; to introduce students to foreign and domestic examples in the field of landscape architecture; At the same time, when solving any professional task, develop the ability of environmental approach and spatial thinking in terms of modern broad ecological requirements.
The academic discipline "Fundamentals of Urban Planning Theory" aims to teach students the initial principles of urban planning theory, the planning and development of populated areas, as well as the organization of the entire infrastructure.
The academic discipline "Urban Rehabilitation" aims to develop in the student the habits of using the knowledge gained in the theoretical disciplines of urban planning in the design of "Urban Rehabilitation" (a specific direction of urban planning); To realize the importance of using such a basic provision in designing urban rehabilitation, such as the recognition of the principle of equal importance of economic development, social unity and environmental protection, as a basic prerequisite for sustainable development; Understanding the essence of urban rehabilitation as the main tool of sustainable development.
The academic discipline "City Engineering Arrangement and Transport" aims to train a specialist with a profile of urban planning and design, equipped with professional knowledge. To develop in him the ability of conceptual and spatial-planning thinking in the processing of complex projects.
The main concern of the course is the student's understanding of the social mission of the profession, that is, each architect-urbanist's responsibility to society.
The multi-year history of the direction of urbanism reveals the changes in the fundamental challenges that have "emerged" before the Georgian urban school in the past period. In the first years of the establishment of the department, such a challenge was the difficulty of adapting seventy years of Soviet urban planning practice to the conditions of the market economy. The second fundamental challenge comes at the beginning of the 21st century. It is based on the requirements of sustainable development and is related to the implementation of the new urbanism policy, which requires an adequate response from the direction of urbanism.
In the mentioned context, the integration of the principles and values of sustainable development into the educational programs is one of the important vectors of the direction of urbanism.
The priority of this topic is expressed in scientific publications of teachers, lecture courses, master's and doctoral theses.
An integral part of the pedagogical work in the direction of urbanism is scientific research, which fully corresponds to the requirements of the World Union of Architects and the Charter of UNESCO (1993).
The range of scientific activities, along with local issues of urban development, includes the topics of vital importance for the spatial-territorial organization of the country - aspects of settlement and district planning neglected for years.
The accumulation of accumulated new scientific information in the educational process finds a positive reflection at all hierarchical levels of scientific activity (student scientific conferences, master's and doctoral programs of teaching).
Providing city planning solutions based on scientific research is an immeasurable resource for perfecting city planning design as the main priority of urban planning. From the point of view of the perfect use of this resource, the recent process of involvement of urbanism educators, recognized practicing urban planners and famous "designers" (G. Shavdia, P. Dzindzibadze, M. Bolkvadze, G. Kipiani) in active scientific work can be considered as a reliable trend.
The department's cooperation with the German Academy of Land Use and Volkswagen programs was very important. As a result, in 1997-2006, annual Georgian-German student competitions were held on the topic: "Careful Reconstruction of Outer Avlabri". It should be noted that the winning students of the competition went through familiarization practice in Germany every year, and the young teachers of the Department of Urbanism were sent to Germany for workshops and internships.
Apart from that, the Department of Urbanism systematically conducted course projects and other targeted competitions for III-IV year students.
In 1997, from the Institute of Architecture of the Georgian Technical University and the German Academy of Urban Planning and Land Management (Deutsche Akademie fur Stadttebau und Landsplanung - DASHL) and initiated from Georgia by the professors G. Salukvadze, V. Vardosanidze and T. Makharashvili, the implementation of a joint urban project began. This included the development of proposals for the socio-functional and architectural-planning renewal of the historical part of the city of Tbilisi - the Avlabri district. This cooperation lasted almost six years. The coordinators of the project were Mr. Jost Schram, a member of DASHL of Germany, and Vladimir Vardosanidze, professor of the Department of Urbanism, of Georgia.
The selection of the Avlabri district was determined by the acute state of emergency of a large part of the buildings in this old district of Tbilisi and the need for urban development of the district as a whole.
The project of renovation of Avlabri was included in the training program of the students of *** by the management of the institute. The work was carried out in two stages. In the first semester of the urban planning reconstruction subject program, students conducted pre-project research work, which included the study of the selected area of Avlabari, historical, functional, visual research of the area, photo-fixation, architectural measurements, sketches, recording the state of the transport network, sociological survey of the population through a specially prepared questionnaire. On the basis of the analysis of the studied material, a design assignment for course-competition design would be developed.
In the 2nd semester, the project was carried out in a group system. Groups consisting of 4-5 students were led by the leading architect of the department, teachers, interns, graduate students.
Later, the Faculty of Architecture of the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, Germany, entered this competition, and German students also took part here. The competition received an international status.
Competition projects were evaluated by a competent jury, which was co-chaired by Prof. Giorgi Shaishmelashvili, Jost Schram, Carl Ziegler). As a result of the competition, important analytical and project material was accumulated on the topic of the reconstruction of the outer wall, on the basis of which illustrated albums summarizing the winning projects were published (editors Prof. G. Salukvadze, Prof. T. Makharashvili).
In February 2008, a group of students from our faculty (leaders: Prof. G. Salukvadze and B. Gedenidze), who participated in the implementation of the German-Georgian project - "Careful reconstruction of the city", visited Germany at the invitation of the Faculty of Town Planning of the Technical University of Kaiserslauten. Along with German and GTU students, students of Tbilisi Art Academy were also involved in this project.
At the end of September 2007, during the visit of the Germans to Tbilisi, the selection of the project area took place, which covered several blocks adjacent to Davit Agmashenebeli Avenue. The students of all three higher education institutions independently developed their own vision for the development of this part of the city and during the entire past semester they practically implemented a city planning project in which three different levels of urban development were reflected in the hierarchy.
The Germans' project was mainly a theoretical proposal for careful reconstruction. The work of GTU students directly and precisely responded to the requirements of the urban reconstruction project. The concrete detailed historical, social and functional studies of our students, which formed the basis of the project proposals, had a great impact.
Thus, this project created a visual example of what can be done within the existing legal, administrative, institutional and financial framework.
The exhibition and presentation of the project, along with 11 other German projects, took place at the Technical University of Berlin on February 13-14, 2008.
It is very pleasant and honorable that the jury, whose composition included Professor Gabi Dolph-Bonekaemper, a specialist in urban planning and monument protection in Europe, awarded the first place and an international diploma to this joint project.
The project was led by Professor Giorgi Shaishmelashvili and Giorgi Sulaberidze of the Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism and Design of the Georgian Technical University. The GTU group included students Temur Ninua, Sofo Paksashvili, Ludmila Chikovani, Ia Bartaia, Sofo Ninidze, Shalva Kikabidze, Mamuka Kapanadze and Magda Lekishvili.
Since 2017, professors and students of the department have been involved in real urban projects jointly with various architectural companies: Mamuka Salukvadze (founder of City Institute) General land use plan of Gori, Guram Kamladze - "Architectural Bureau" LLC - "Parallel development" - development project of one of Mtatsminda's micro-neighborhoods, development regulation plan of four blocks adjacent to G. Chubinashvili Street; Resort Lebarde development regulation plan, multi-functional complex development regulation plan in Isani (near the auto parts market), individual residential house complex development regulation plan, multi-apartment residential house complex development regulation plan, Mechanization Street, Digomi, Tbilisi Mall 3 development regulation plan; Otar Khvedelidze - "A-Architecture" LLC - industrial complex development regulatory plan in Mtskheta, hotel complex development regulatory plan in Magnica, hotel complex development regulatory plan in Ureki, residential complex development regulatory plan in Navdaraatkari, residential complex development regulatory plan in Tbilisi, Lilo plan; Veronika Lominadze - "Defani AD" LLC - private house project (ongoing); In Tbilisi, in "Bagebi Forest District", office project (ongoing), Tsereteli avenue in Tbilisi, exhibition area, sports school project (ongoing), on University Street in Tbilisi; Giorgi Bekurashvili - Alaverdi infrastructure project of "Archi DC" LLC; "Art Studio" LLC
Giorgi Sekhniaidze - "Studio 21" LLC
Group 2017 2.2, Master's degree
Group 2016.6 Master's degree