A groundbreaking residential building in Georgia is showcasing an innovative approach to urban housing through its modular construction method and integrated garden spaces. The Lisi Garden House, designed by Architects of Invention, represents a seven-story residential development that utilizes a modular framework where all components are fabricated offsite, introducing an uncommon construction method to Georgia where such production techniques remain limited.
The architectural design draws inspiration from notable works including James Wines' Highrise of Homes and Brodsky & Utkin's Columbarium Habitable, adopting the concept of stacked houses with integrated gardens. The building features living room modules that alternate between oval and rectangular geometries, creating a distinctive vertical rhythm across the gridded facade. This approach adapts Wines' original concept by incorporating verandas specifically sized to accommodate outdoor planting areas.
Located northwest of Tbilisi in the Saburtalo district, the building sits on a sloped site near Lisi Lake with panoramic views over the city. The structure is part of a broader masterplan that includes residential buildings designed by renowned firms such as Riccardo Bofill and UN Studio, positioned alongside individual houses. The strategic location takes advantage of the natural topography to optimize both views and environmental conditions.
The seven-story building houses 42 residential units across its floors, with commercial space at ground level and underground parking facilities. The structure is divided vertically into three distinct blocks, each containing a single staircase and elevator core that serves two apartments per landing. Standard-floor units are designed to offer views to both east and west directions, while upper floors accommodate duplex apartments that maximize the panoramic outlooks toward the city and surrounding hills.
Architects of Invention developed the project under a Development Regulation Plan that established specific parameters for the building envelope, including height restrictions, footprint limitations, and total volume requirements. Within these constraints, the design team focused on reinterpreting the required density through a stacked arrangement of modular garden houses, ensuring each unit maintains access to natural light, ventilation, and outdoor space.
A significant challenge involved addressing fire safety regulations that stipulate no single escape core may serve more than 500 square meters per floor. This requirement directly informed the building's tripartite vertical division, resulting in three circulation cores with two units each. The configuration successfully met regulatory constraints while minimizing shared circulation areas for residents and maintaining privacy.
The building employs a sophisticated hybrid structural system combining concrete and steel elements. Three reinforced concrete cores provide overall stability while containing circulation routes and building services. The floor plates utilize a triangulated concrete waffle slab system that optimizes material usage, improves load distribution, and increases thermal mass for better energy performance.
The facade system represents a key architectural feature, consisting of double-glazed panels set within aluminum frames combined with areas of exposed concrete. Select sections incorporate back-painted glass to conceal structural elements and building services, creating a clean aesthetic appearance. The alternating flat and curved surfaces produce a geometrically precise composition that changes appearance according to varying light conditions throughout the day.
Balconies and terraces are finished with white marble slabs specifically chosen for their durability and compatibility with the overall material palette. These outdoor spaces, referred to as 'glass rooms' or semi-enclosed winter gardens, provide transitional areas that remain usable throughout the year, addressing Georgia's varied climate conditions.
Sustainability considerations are integrated throughout the project design, particularly through the reliance on prefabricated components that significantly reduce construction waste and on-site assembly time. The facade system supports energy performance by controlling solar gain, while exposed concrete elements require minimal long-term maintenance. The overall construction approach emphasizes durability, design simplicity, and reduced operational demands, establishing a potential model for contemporary residential development in Georgia and similar emerging markets.
