About AA
AA Architecture Ambience is a place for knowledge transfer and learning. In this sense, it is an educational project and embodies a concern to serve fellow human beings as a platform of ideas and research, a stage for debate and proposals. We produce exhibitions and publications, develop and share our collection as a museum resource, offer public lectures and architecture tours driven by curiosity about architecture. For dialogue and collaboration, we invite the general public, especially architects, artists and experts researching cross disciplinary, geographical and ideological boundaries. The use of the platform is open to everybody. This website summarises our activities, which they can learn about from any location. The AA was founded in April 2021 and directed by Irina Kurtishvili. To learn more about Irina, please explore the website: www.irinakurtishvili.com
Contact
General information / Research opportunities / Guided tours
irina (at) irinakurtishvili.com
Mob. + 49 (0) 159 02 44 71 41 (Germany)
Mob. + 995 (5) 55 21 44 83 (Georgia)
Exhibitions
We present exhibitions in Tbilisi and work to present our collection internationally through other collaborative formats. In our spaces, we exhibit projects, offer lectures and work on collaborations that connect local and international architectural scenes. Preference is given to interdisciplinary exhibitions that primarily follow the critical thought process of architecture: (re)organization of space, which reflects the complexity of the city, its society and the aspect of time. The exhibitions are essentially supported by drawings and documents that are kept in our collection. We show two exhibitions a year and present the unknown and forgotten aspects of Georgian architectural history for discussion.
The guided tours are first and foremost driven by curiosity about architecture and devised as an architectural trip. Our thematic routes bring ultimate locations, unknown places and iconic buildings to the show. The unique urban landscape of the Tbilisi metropole makes these routes alone an artistic and literary experience. The guided tours are precisely structured and make it possible to experience the history of urban planning and construction in Georgia at first hand. And last but not least, to get to know the ignored and uncomfortable facts of Georgian architectural practice. A selection of our offers can be easily requested by e-mail. We welcome individuals and all kinds of interest groups. Tbilisi: the place to be!
Collection
Our collection consists of four interrelated holdings: archives, prints and drawings, photography and library. The collection originated from the estate of Georgian architect W. Kurtishvili (1935-1996) and comprises about 3500 individual objects. The collection has been systematised, catalogued and categorised over the years. Our materials have been shown in various international architectural exhibitions – first time in Vienna at the exhibition "Soviet Modernism 1955–1991" (AzW 2012); followed by "Tbilisi. Architecture at the Intersection of Continents" and "Georgia in Five Stations" (Ringturm Vienna 2016/2018); "Hybrid Tbilisi" (DAM Frankfurt a. M. 2018). Since 2012, we have also presented our archives on site – most recently at the 2nd Architecture Biennial in Tbilisi. A large number of materials have already been published in the a.m. exhibition catalogues. In the meantime, we have supported various research projects and essays.
Curated by Irina Kurtishvili, AA Collection is regularly updated.
