Beyond the Mtkvari and Vere, Tbilisi hosts many small rivers, though they’re often used as waste dumps. These rivers are nearly forgotten and have become hazardous. As hydrologist and Tbilisi State University PhD Nika Tsitelashvili explains, “Most of the rivers are buried in pipes nowadays, and in those parts where they’re not, people throw garbage and companies dump construction waste. Sewage water also goes into them.” With Tbilisi’s ongoing expansion, urban development around these rivers has intensified, leading to increased pollution. – Radio Liberty, “The 12 Forgotten Rivers of Tbilisi”
In reflecting on the current state of these buried rivers, we imagined an intervention where water would be the central element, bringing this problem to light and telling the story of the rivers' abandonment.
Upon reviewing the sites proposed by the Tbilisi Architecture Biennial (TAB) for intervention, we selected locations that captured their interest and visited them to reflect. Despite the varied contexts, these places shared a common theme: neglect and disregard, yet they offered a surprising sense of tranquility, often in the heart of densely populated areas. Visiting these sites felt like stepping into nature, just a stone’s throw from the city’s bustling activity.
We decided that this feeling of instant calm would define their chosen site, allowing not only a platform for their statement but also a space where visitors could pause, linger, and contemplate. They ultimately chose the burial point of the Dukniskhevi creek on King Solomon II Street in Ortachala. This site, perhaps more than others, embodied this characteristic. Situated on the edge of a Soviet-era residential neighborhood, with a public school and a small football ground nearby, the site’s atmosphere lent itself to quiet reflection.
Cenotaph—derived from the Greek kenotaphion, meaning “empty tomb”—refers to a monument that honors someone buried elsewhere. In this project, our intention is to draw attention to the creek in a way that is not immediately obvious. It’s an attempt to guide observers to notice the creek and take a moment to reflect on its fate, just before it disappears into an underground pipe, abandoned and unnoticed.
The project features a bell, chosen for its symbolic association with warning and its ability to create a meditative atmosphere, encouraging observers to slow down and reflect. The bell’s sound, gently resonating in the space, is meant to mirror the flow of the creek, adding a contemplative element to the experience.
KERA's intervention is designed to be subtle yet meaningful, with minimal interference in the natural environment. The structure is envisioned to blend harmoniously with its surroundings, offering a space for quiet contemplation while drawing attention to the buried creek and its story. The intervention, symbolic and temporary, can be easily disassembled, allowing the site to return to its original state.
In essence, Cenotaph is a poetic reflection on the forgotten rivers of Tbilisi, urging the public to reconnect with these hidden waterways and consider their importance, even as they lie buried and neglected beneath the city.
Photos Ana Gabashvili