The futuristic concert hall in Rike Park, Tbilisi, is to be demolished. The building, designed by the Italian firm Studio Fuksas, was never opened, despite having been completed back in 2012. The decision has sparked a wave of debate, as the building has for many years been a symbol of the political changes in Georgia initiated by President Mikheil Saakashvili.
The concert hall in Rike Park, Tbilisi
On 13 July 2026, the architecture department of Tbilisi City Council granted permission for the demolition of the Rike Park Music Theatre & Exhibition Hall complex. The property owner has until 25 December to completely remove the building. The design, created by Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas, was conceived for Rike Park on the banks of the Kura River. The complex, covering an area of approximately 10,000 square metres, consists of two soft, tubular structures made of steel and glass. The larger section houses a concert hall with an auditorium seating 566 people, a foyer, technical facilities and a café overlooking the river and the historic centre of Tbilisi. The second section, meanwhile, is designated as an exhibition space.
Architecture as an element of political transformation
The project was carried out during the presidency of Mikheil Saakashvili as part of a wide-ranging programme to modernise Georgia, launched following the 2003 Rose Revolution. The authorities invited renowned foreign architects to collaborate, seeking to emphasise the country’s European aspirations and create a new image for the capital. During the same period, the Bridge of Peace and the House of Public Services were built, among other projects, also intended to express the country’s openness to the West. In turn, the futuristic form of the Rike Park Cultural Complex deliberately distanced itself from the architecture associated with the Soviet era, becoming a visual manifesto of political and economic change.
A change of government halted construction of the Rike Hall
The project’s fate changed following the 2012 elections, when Georgian Dream came to power. Construction work was virtually complete, yet the venue never opened its doors. It remained closed for over a decade and gradually fell into disrepair. In the years that followed, it changed hands numerous times, was put up for auction and was the subject of various development proposals. In 2022, the property was acquired by a company linked to the businessman Dawit Chidaszel, whilst in June 2025, Rike Dome became the new owner. Despite proposals to turn it into a hotel or give the complex a new purpose, none of these initiatives came to fruition. An additional catalyst for speeding up the decision was the tragic death of a teenager who died on the site of the abandoned building in 2025.
Demolition sparks international debate
The Mayor of Tbilisi, Kacha Kaladze, justified the approval of the demolition by citing the building’s extremely poor structural condition, describing it as completely disused and having been turned into a rubbish dump. At the same time, he emphasised that once the work is complete, the city will expect a new development concept for the site. Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas presented a completely different position. The architects argue that the complex can be adapted for new functions whilst retaining its recognisable form and the value of the existing development. However, the dispute goes far beyond architectural issues. For Saakashvili’s supporters, the building is a symbol of Georgia’s period of intensive modernisation and its pro-Western aspirations, whilst opponents view it as a costly memento of the previous government. The decision to demolish the building has sparked a debate over whether it is merely an unused structure disappearing from Tbilisi’s skyline, or also an important symbol of the country’s recent history.
source: dezeen.com
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