Vakhtang Davitaia

Address:Nino Ramishvili str. 2, apart. 73,
0079, Tbilisi, Georgia
Mob: +995 577 73 42 57
Work: +995 32 233 50 61
Home: +995 32 233 36 85
Studio: +995 32 222 59 87
Email: v.davitaia@gtu.ge
Website: http://gtu.ge/Arch/Pdf/Staff-Achievements/vakhtang%20davitaia-.php

22.12.1934 – Born in the village Dzveli-Senaki of Senaki district, Georgia. 1958 – Graduated from Georgian Polytechnic Institute, Civil Engineering Faculty, Department of Architecture. 1958-1962 – Institute of Design “Gruzgiprogorstroi”. From 1962 to present – Post-Graduate student, assistant, assistant professor, Full professor, Chairman of the Department of architecture of Georgian Technical University (GTU).

PROFESSIONAL POSITION. ELECTION. The President of Union of Architects of Georgia, 1995-2000. The President of the Forum of Architects of the Black Sea Region, 1997-2000. Academician of International academy of Architecture /IAA/, 1994. Academician and Board member of branch of International Academy of Architecture in Moscow (MAAM), 1991. Foreign Member of Russian Academy of Architecture and Building Sciences, Foreign Member of Ukraine Academy of Architecture, Academician of Engineering Academy of Georgia, 1996. Member of the committee of state prizes for literature, art and architecture, 1992-2007. Member of the Board of Ministry of Culture of Georgia, 1996-1999. Member of professor’s council of GTU, 1995-2005. Member of professor’s council of State Academy of fine arts of Tbilisi, 1995-2005.

TITLE. Master of Arts of Georgia. “Knight of Architecture”, “Knight of Culture”.

AWARDED. The Highest award  of Georgian Technical University – The Medal of Giorgi Nikoladze. 2004.

HONORARY MEMBERSHIP. Honorary Fellow of American Institute of Architects, 1991. Honorary Professor of Mal del Plata National University, 1987, (Argentina) and of Architectural College Jalisco State, 1988, (Mexico). Visiting professor of Ball State University, 1989, 1991, (USA). Honorary Citizen of Poti, 1980, (Georgia) and Muncie, 1989, (Indiana, USA). Honorary Member of Union of Architects of Bulgaria, 1994.

AWARDS: Rustaveli State Prize, USSR State Prize, Georgian State Prize, Georgian Council Ministers Prize, Georgian Komsomol Prize, Prize of the  World Biennale of Architecture “Interarch-83”, “Interarch-85”, “Interarch-2012”, “Interarch-2015”, “Interarch-2018”; Prize winner of “All-Union contest of the best architectural design of the year” – 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990; Prize winner of “All-Union contest of the best building of the year” – 1986, 1989 (Grand Prix); Laureate of the International Biennale of Architecture in Tbilisi.

PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS: – Tbilisi, Moscow, Riga, Kaunas, Minsk, Rodno, Kiev, Kharkov, Sofia (Bulgaria), Dresden, Weimar, Berlin (Germany), Sergy-Pontoise (France), Muncie, Atlanta, Oxford (USA), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Nara (Japan).

COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS of Academicians of International Academy of Architecture: Sofia, Berlin, Istanbul, Barselona, Moscow, Peking, Turin.

MAIN REALIZATIONS: “Sun Valley”, Bakuriani. Art Gallery, Senaki. One family dwelling houses in Sagaredjo, Kutaisi, Opshkviti, Tabakhmela. Bakeries in the area of Tbilisi Sea and Vazisubani. Exhibition Hall of Fund of Culture of Georgia. Reconstruction of the Rustaveli Square, Kutaisi. Art Centre, Gulripshi. The School for 600 pupils in Gavazi village. The School for 300 pupils in Samgereti village.  Memorial of the Caucasus fighters, Karachaevo-Cherkesk. Sailors memorial, Poti. Victory memorial, Gori, Memorial in Kutaisi. “Temple of memory”, Mukhrani. “Algeri Bazilica”, v. Tbisi. “Cube of Memory”, Senaki. David Agmashenebeli monument in Kutaisi, Tsotne Dadiani monument in Poti. Art Center “Mtatsminda” in Tbilisi, reconstruction-expansion.

TOMBSTONES OF GEORGIAN ARTISTS AND PUBLIC FIGURES. In the Mtatsminda Pantheon:  Ekvtime Takaishvili, Giorgi Leonidze (with E. Amashukeli), Ushangi Chkheidze (with E. Amashukeli), Mukhran Machavariani, symbolic tombstone of Niko Pirosmani (not realized), Ana Kalandadze (not realized). In the Didube Pantheon:  Niko Ketskhoveli, Robert Sturua, Dmitri and Gogi Aleksidze, Akaki Vasadze (with E. Amashukeli), Nikoloz Khomezurashvili, Robert Bardzimashvili, Mekhail Kveselava, Tengiz Sukhishvili, Irakli Tsitsishvili, Djansug Gvinjilia, Guram Panjikidze, Otar Chkheidze, Jemal Lolua, Ramaz Chkhikvadze, Iosif Kechakmadze, Petre Khvedelidze, Neli Piliashvili-Archvadze, Giga Lortkipanidze (not realized). In the other cemeteries:  Vladimir Janjgava, Iuza Ubilava, Dali Bakradze-Oniani, Lado Bakhutashvili, Lev Iashin (not realized), Teimuraz Kakulia, Manana Tsertsvadze-Aleksidze, Vamekh Gachechiladze, Archil and Galina Gachechiladze, Archil Gelovani (not realized), Merab Berdzenishvili.

AUTHOR of about 200 articles and 250 projects.

BOOKS: “Vakhtang Davitaia, Architect”, 1998 (I prize of the triennial of Architecture in Sofia), Architecture. “Dream and reality”, I Book, 2000. “Monuments. Memorials. Small architecture”, 2004. “American diary”, 2004, “Japanish Diary”, 2007. “Process”, 2009. “Architecture. Dream and Reality”, II Book, 2009. “Architectural Anatomy of Authoritarianism”, 2016. “Architecture. Dream and Reality”, III Book, 2016. “Vakhtang Davitaia. Architecture. Painting. Graphics”, 2016. “Pages of life”, I, II Books, 2018. “Notes”, 2018.

By American Biographical institute nominated: “Order of international Ambassadors (OIA)”. 2005. “Great Minds of the 21st Century”. 2005.  “The World Medal of Freedom”. 2006. Enclosed in the 2004/05 Edition of the contemporary “Who’s Who Professionals” (USA).

Art Center “Mtatsminda”

Art Center “Mtatsminda” is a volumetric composition created by two circular volumes. The design is dictated by topography of the site. The building stands in a small gorge, where the water level, depending on intensity of precipitation, can be significantly high. A large diameter pipe is provisioned below inner courtyard for passage of water. In […]

“Memory Centre” in Tbilisi

The Memorial Complex consists of four parts: “Memory Temple”, with the bell tower, ”Place of Rituals”, with eternal frame and crown of glory, the Memorial Wall and Memorial “No to War!”. Around the “Temple of remembrance” lies a vast territory – the green lawn is divided with four by four meter squares; it represents a […]

“Memory Temple” in Tbilisi

The Memorial Complex consists of four parts: “Memory Temple”, with the bell tower, ”Place of Rituals”, with eternal frame and crown of glory, the Memorial Wall and Memorial “No to War!”. Around the “Temple of remembrance” lies a vast territory – the green lawn is divided with four by four meter squares; it represents a […]