“You have to coexist with this building - it already has its own atmosphere, and it tells you how to behave, what kind of events to host, and how to introduce its heritage to visitors.”
“You have to coexist with this building - it already has its own atmosphere, and it tells you how to behave, what kind of events to host, and how to introduce its heritage to visitors.”
Before the start of the fundamental renovation of the Philharmonic building, Tsitsi Iashvili, Creative Chairwoman of the Board for Strategic Development of Starring Georgia, reflects on the responsibility of working on one of the country’s most important cultural landmarks.
“When it comes to a building that is both a national symbol and a cultural monument, you realize that there is no room for mistakes - not even the slightest misstep.”
Indeed, few buildings can reflect Georgia’s cultural landscape over the past 50 years as vividly as the Tbilisi State Concert Hall - or, as everyone calls it, the Tbilisi Philharmonic.
In the 1960s, when the need for a new concert hall arose, it was mainly envisioned as an alternative to the Opera and Ballet Theatre or the Sports Palace, since both had their limitations. The Tbilisi Philharmonic, however, was to become a cultural venue equipped with modern technology of the time, serving various events by new standards.
Under the guidance of architect Ivane Chkhenkeli, it was decided that the new building would be constructed in a historic part of Tbilisi, at the intersection of Melikishvili Avenue and what is now Kostava Street. At the time, the site was occupied by a three-story building known as “Alioni.” Its demolition began a decade-long process with a single purpose - to give Tbilisi a multifunctional venue that would become one of the city’s signature landmarks.
The location itself influenced the hall’s spatial composition, resulting in its asymmetrically placed wide staircase and the iconic 8-meter sculpture Muse by Merab Berdzenishvili. Notably, the interior’s artistic details were also created by sculptors Elguja and Merab Berdzenishvili.
Despite the architectural grandeur, few could have imagined that over the next 5 decades, these walls would echo with the music of giants like B.B. King, Sun Ra, Roy Ayers, George Benson, and other the best artists of different eras.
But as with everything, resources and limits exist, especially for a space that operates at full capacity, hosting thousands of artists and millions of visitors.
“For decades, the Tbilisi Philharmonic was the place where the city’s and the country’s cultural rhythm was created - hosting international concerts, important public events, and civic gatherings. Yet, after fifty years, accumulated technical and infrastructural problems restricted its functioning and dimmed its brilliance,” notes Amiran Janelidze, Chairman of the Board for Strategic Development of Starring Georgia’s. He emphasizes that alongside the great cultural heritage the Philharmonic has preserved, ensuring its survival became critically important. “For Tbilisi Philharmonic to regain its status as a cultural epicenter of Tbilisi, a fundamental yet identity-preserving renewal is essential.”
With this in mind, Starring Georgia organizational team, known to the public for large-scale events and new standards - prepared a conceptual plan for the building’s rehabilitation, ensuring maximum preservation of its original architectural form and identity.
As they put it: “We are preserving the Tbilisi Philharmonic’s fundamental style, while fully modernizing its engineering and technological infrastructure so that the hall meets contemporary international standards.”
Processes like these always raise questions about whether new elements can be introduced without compromising identity. In this case, it has been clearly defined, that the name and identity will not change, nor will the architectural image and façade, or the vintage interior style that has served as the Philharmonic’s signature for the last 50 years.
Instead, significant infrastructural updates are planned - strengthening structural elements, modernizing fire safety systems, upgrading the electrical network, introducing new air conditioning, and, overall, implementing more eco-friendly and energy-efficient systems.
Naturally, a project of this scale requires a systematic approach. A detailed competition brief has been prepared to help the project team manage the process effectively.
“The competition will be held in several stages, all of which will be as transparent as possible. Priority will be given to experience and competence - we will allow only teams capable of delivering results and bringing the Tbilisi Philharmonic to the level of an international-standard venue. Our capital deserves a hall where high-quality events can be held.”
The ambitious goals of Starring Georgia team go beyond infrastructure - they emphasize the Philharmonic’s role as a cultural hub for the city. As the team says, the hall will no longer be just a concert venue - soon, people will be able to spend every weekend there. Instead of a single stage, several spaces will function simultaneously.
“In addition to studios and workshops in the administrative wing, where talented young people will be able to refine their creative path - the Philharmonic will also feature an experimental stage, giving them the chance to make their very first connection with an audience right here,” says Tsitsi Iashvili, highlighting the importance of supporting not only established artists but also emerging talents who may lack other opportunities to fully express their creative worlds.
This does not refer only to the language of music. In the new phase, special attention will also be given to visual arts, exhibition spaces, professional workshops, and the infrastructure necessary for social interaction. “The building will also house a Creative Industries Center, supporting the new generation in exploring professions they aspire to and providing opportunities for further learning.”
It is worth noting that the project is being carried out with the support of the Administration of the Government of Georgia, the Ministry of Culture of Georgia, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Georgia, and the Municipal Development Fund of Georgia, to whom I'm especially grateful to.
Cultural heritage has been a recurring theme, and the process of preserving and passing it from generation to generation is another key goal. For this, the Philharmonic will gain a space for a museum, serving as a time capsule for new generations. Here, the events and emotions that shaped not only the hall but also the cultural reality of the city and country since 1971 will be brought to life.
“Communication with younger generations is extremely important to us. They know little or nothing at all about the Tbilisi Philharmonic. We want to use the period before the renovated building reopens to bring it closer to them. That’s why we plan to share the hall’s history digitally - so the Tbilisi Philharmonic continues its life in the digital space until it reopens,” explains the team about their new project, Philharmonic • Frames of Time. Initiated by Starring Georgia, with the goal to transform cultural heritage into a tangible, living organism. Through blog posts, photos, videos, and digitized tapes, Frames of Time will tell the story that has been written over decades but might otherwise be lost in the flow of time.
“We want to preserve history and introduce the Tbilisi Philharmonic’s past to the younger generation. Today, many think it was a uniform space hosting events for a narrow audience. But through archival material, they will discover how important and diverse that past truly was.”
It is clear that this new chapter in Tbilisi Philharmonic’s story carries significant and above all, beneficial changes. Even more importantly, it challenges us not to see its past merely as old “frames of time,” but to turn it into something tangible - a phenomenon that will bring a new dimension to the country’s cultural reality.