Situated on a highway connecting the city to the airport, this project is surrounded by largely undeveloped fields and pine forests. It integrates multiple functions including a coffee processing plant, office spaces, coffee tasting areas, and a small coffee exhibition.
Inside, all functions are arranged within a continuous, barrier-free space, separated only by glass partitions that create subtle boundaries.
From the highway side, the building appears as a folded, monolithic concrete block with no visible openings, offering no immediate clue to its function. In contrast, the rear side opens up to the adjacent pine forest.
From an aerial perspective, the building blends seamlessly into the natural environment thanks to its extensive green roof. This roof features occasional openings such as an atrium, terrace, and skylights that bring natural light inside. This design also minimizes the visibility of the large building blocks from planes taking off and landing nearby.
The city required a building that stands out from typical factories by possessing a strong visual identity. The design needed to accommodate coffee tasting, small exhibitions, offices, and public spaces all at once.
To meet these needs, the factory’s box-shaped volumes adjust their forms to enclose different functional components. Ceiling heights vary accordingly—raised to accommodate equipment where necessary and lowered in other areas.
The building envelope wraps around office functions such as workspaces, meeting rooms, and social areas, which are suspended across multiple levels. Three plant-filled courtyards and numerous skylights flood the interior with natural sunlight. Although the highway-facing facade appears solid and without openings, the interior features two platforms that face the park and sky.
The entire concrete facade is folded into a double-curved geometric form, creating an ever-changing appearance throughout the day as sunlight casts dynamic patterns of light and shadow. The large main hall, which houses the coffee exhibition and lounge, sits between two green courtyards. It features a multi-level platform connected by stairs and ramps leading to the coffee tasting area and offices.
The concrete structure, combined with a unidirectional waffle slab spanning up to 16 meters, creates a vast, barrier-free space. Steel rods suspend steel floor slabs from roof panels of varying heights, enhancing structural efficiency.
The folded cast-in-place concrete facade functions as a double-layer thermal insulation wall with excellent aging resistance. The 3,680 square meter green roof adds an extra thermal barrier and is planted with the same wild grasses and plants found in the surrounding environment. This integration reduces maintenance needs and helps the building blend naturally into its setting.
Night View of the Building
Project Drawings
▲ General layout plan
▲ First floor plan
▲ Mezzanine plan
▲ 3.15 Plan view
▲ 6.20 Floor plan
▲ Sectional view
▲ Axonometric diagram
Project Information
Design Firm: Khmaladze Architects
Location: Tbilisi, Georgia
Lead Architect: Giorgi Khmaladze
Design Team: Tinatin Sherazadishvili, Ana Khutsishvili, Maia Baghishvili-Goshadze
Building Area: 16,960 m²
Year Completed: 2019
Photographer: Giorgi Khmaladze
Engineering Firms: Capiteli, Kubikon, Casa Calda
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