Batumi, 4 Konstantine Gamsakhurdia Street / 12 Shota Rustaveli Street
Brief Description of the Building:
This large, three-story residential building was constructed in the 1950s. Situated on a corner plot, its longer façade faces Gamsakhurdia Street, while the shorter one opens onto Rustaveli Avenue. The building’s corner is marked by a light risalit on both sides and is entirely covered with stucco imitating rustication. This corner section features open loggias enclosed with arched vaults—rectangular openings on the second floor and arched ones on the third.
The rustication imitation is also applied to the wide, arched entrance frames, to the corners of the building, and to the base (plinth). The rest of the façades are smoothly plastered. One of the most striking decorative elements is the series of continuous balconies on the second and third floors. These balconies are accentuated by columns placed on balustrades at the corners and are crowned with pediments. There are six such balconies along Gamsakhurdia Street and two along Rustaveli Avenue.
The building features a prominently protruding, profiled cornice adorned with decorative brackets and Soviet state symbols—five-pointed stars. In the 2000s, a fourth floor was added on the Rustaveli Avenue side, with architectural detailing that mirrors the original design, including the corner open loggia. In recent years, an additional volume has also been attached on the courtyard side, altering the courtyard entrance.
This building is a good example of Soviet-era residential architecture.
