Tbilisi to Demolish Fuksas Auditorium, Architect Expresses 'Deep Regret'

The Tbilisi City Hall has authorized the demolition of the Fuksas-designed auditorium in Rike Park by December 25, 2026. The building, commissioned in 2010 by then-President Mikheil Saakashvili as part of a city revitalization plan, was completed in 2012 at a cost of €40 million but never opened to the public. It was sold at auction in 2020 to entrepreneur Davit Khidasheli and later to Makro Constructions in 2025. Mayor Kakha Kaladze justified the demolition, calling the structure a 'dump in poor condition.' Studio Fuksas expressed 'deep regret,' noting they were never consulted about alternatives despite repeated offers. The studio warned of cultural loss and public funds wasted, urging preservation and reuse. The architect's firm, in over 60 years, has never faced demolition of a project without dialogue.