Type
office and workspace

Source
invited international competition

Client
TBC Bank

Address/Site
Tbilisi, Georgia

Site area
42.260 m2

Building area
existing building  4.715 m² + New vestibule 687 m²

Total floor area
existing biulding 32.000 m² + New vestibule 1.272 m²

Storeys
existing building -10 Storeys,  New vestibule – Groundfloor + 3

Program
offices, conference rooms

Structure
existing building – Reeinforced concrete,  New vestibule – Steel structure

Cladding
glazed facade

Architect
SADAR+VUGA (Jurij Sadar, Bostjan Vuga, Andreas Cesarini, Jurij Ličen, Grega Mervič)

The client TBC bank has bought a big site on an attractive location in Tbilisi. The structure of the existing building will be kept but the interior, facade and the vestibule will be renewed. In front of the building there will be a big plaza with a series of flagpoles. New parking areas will be provided. The existing park will be completely renovated and a new pavilion and fountain is to be provided. Existing trees will be kept to provide shading.

The design proposal is based on the idea of a series of independent elements combined to give a special architectural effect and create a dynamic relation between those elements. These elements are the new vertical vestibule as a hanging garden, existing building clad in glass and louvered facade as an abstract volume, playful pavilion with a fountain in the park and new corporate plaza in front of the new vestibule.

The vestibule will act as a new symbol of growth and interactivity of the TBC Bank and will be visible from the boulevard. The building is composed of two vertical volumes that intersect one with another. In that way they generate exterior image that resembles the logo of the TBC Bank but also define the logic of the interior space created with a vertical void and horizontal slabs. The idea of the interior would be of a hanging garden where plants would grow within the volume of the thinner structure. The greenery would be attached to the solar tube that also brings light to the building.

The vestibule is designed as a vertical space with reception and exhibition spaces on the ground floor. On the upper floors there will be programs such as gallery space, library – living room space and VIP area/board of directors on top. The areas will be connected to the vertical communications /elevators and stairs/ in the main building.  The vestibule will be built as an independent steel structure with glazed facade.

A new plaza is planned in front of the vestibule. It is paved with a pattern that extends to the interior.

For the existing building we propose a central core with elevators, stairs and small sitting areas and then a corridor system organization for the typical floor. The facades of the existing building will be glazed in a way that we maintain the concept of horizontal stripes – glazed windows and insulated parapet panels with printed glazing as a final outside layer. A system of outside louvers will be applied to provide external shading. The density and the shape of the louvers will be different on different facades depending on the orientation. With the system of louvered facade we provide optimal working conditions plus gain on energy efficiency of the building. On the facade bordering to the park we propose a series of narrow balconies between glazed facades and the louvers to provide outside areas to relax.

In the park we propose a playful layout based on a textile pattern. Pavilion and fountain are designed as two follies in the greenery. Pavilion has a rounded shape with outside structure-shading while the fountain acts as a long bench. We keep all the beautiful existing trees. The park will become a place to relax but also a place for receptions and events.