Ana Chorgolashvili

The season's guest editor is a curator and researcher Ana Chorgolashvili.

"This selection offers three texts that address the perception of the city, the sense of a specific place, and architectural exhibitions as a possible mediator of these themes.

Michel de Certeau and Christian Norberg-Schulz are among the thinkers of the second half of the 20th century who have had a significant impact on the understanding of place, the city, and architecture. It can be said that they have somewhat changed the perspective of perceiving these concepts. As Norberg-Schulz writes: “Since ancient times the genius loci, “spirit of the place“, has been recognized as the concrete reality man has to face and come to terms with in his daily life. Architecture means to visualize the genius loci, and the task of the architect is to create meaningful places, whereby he helps man to dwell”.

The philosophical, semiotic, and phenomenological insights of Michel de Certeau, Christian Norberg-Schulz, and their contemporary thinkers have had a significant impact on architectural theory and practice in both the 20th and 21st centuries.

Esther Choi is among the contemporary architectural historians who view architecture, writing, and exhibition practice as interconnected discourses. Her works pay particular attention to the role of architectural exhibition as a medium for interpretation, knowledge production, and critical reflection.

I think this selection will be interesting for Georgian readers as well, especially considering the urban and cultural processes underway in our city."- Ana Chorgolashvili.

Esther Choi, Interpretation (Here)

Christian Norberg-Schulz, Genius Loci (Spirit of Place): Toward a Phenomenology of Architecture (Here)

Michel de Certeau, Walking in the City (Here)

Ana Chorgolashvili (b. 1986, Tbilisi) is an art historian and curator. She is the co-founder of Ubani – Tbilisi Cityscape Research Center and Danarti Zine. Working across research, curating, publishing, and editing, Ana's interdisciplinary approach examines the city and architecture as means of producing, interpreting, and sharing knowledge with wider audiences.