Pavilion for Chacha Ceremonies

A pile of old beautiful glass blocks recently found at a warehouse in Tbilisi gave birth to this project. The exact amount of glass blocks defined the dimensions of the circular wall and pavilion’s proportions. The pavilion is round in plan and has a tall conical timber frame roof that is covered with Ruberoid, a common Russian roof felt, on both sides. At the centre of the space an open fireplace is placed on a glass block podium that is lit from the inside. Surrounding the chimney some wine boxes for sitting are dispersed. The pavilion is mainly used in autumn and winter – when people sit around the fire and drink chacha*. *Chacha is a very strong Georgian grape vodka that is ubiquitous in the Region.

Pavilion for Chacha Ceremonies is located on the site of the former winery – completed at the end of the 19th Century. In 2019 the whole cluster will be transformed into a gastronomic centre and an art hub, hosting restaurants, cafes, bars, a cooking school etc and offering space for art exhibitions and festivals. Winery N 1 was one of the locations at Tbilisi Art Fair 2018 which took place from 1719th of May in Tbilisi, in which the Chacha Pavilion was one of the interactive installation spaces. The pavilion marks the end of the axis between the entrance to the cluster and the Winery hotel.

Cylindrical double-layered wall out of white, green and blue found glass blocks (25x25 cm) were installed on a steel framework serving as basement. The transition from a cylindrical to a conical form was realised through the joints between two rings of steel. The structure of the conical roof is a wooden framework, fixed between the lower and the upper ring of the cone. The roof is covered with the waterproof roofing material- Ruberoid- from both the inside and out. At the heart of the pavilion a huge open fireplace dominates the space with a long chimney that makes its way up to the apex of the roof. Surrounding the fireplace some beer and wine boxes are dispersed for seating. The Pavilion has natural ventilation through the openings in the floor.