Hollow: A Map of Tbilisi
The Ubani team has created and released a map of Tbilisi, portraying the city's layout against a carefully rendered landscape.
Tbilisi's urban landscape is remarkable for its unparalleled fusion of unique topography and a city fabric woven from diverse grids and typologies. The mountainous relief, marked by traces of geological processes that unfolded millions of years ago, provides an ideal setting for a city strategically positioned and repeatedly conquered. These historical conquests have imprinted their signatures on the environment, shaping a landscape characterised by cycles of construction, demolition, and subsequent rebuilding. Nevertheless, this extraordinary landscape remains predominantly uncharted, presenting an opportunity for exploration through cartography as a tool for analytical inquiry.
"Hollow: A Map of Tbilisi" merges two rarely combined cartographic codes: detailed topological phenomena and a concise schwarzplan. This blend visually demonstrates the bond between urban contours and the underlying and surrounding landscape. The edition is complemented by an essay delving into the geological past of Tbilisi.
This publication is a part of the 2-year research/publication programme, with chapters successively titled "Rocks" and "Waters”. This map, along with other research outcomes encompassing various media, will be included in the permanent collection of the future Museum of Tbilisi City Form.
The publication was realised with the support of Tbilisi City Hall.
