workersunit 2

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workersunit 2 *

Soviet-era architecture has seen a resurgence in popularity. Brutalist aesthetics are trending, “Soviet Wave” nostalgia is spreading, and the picturesque decay of USSR buildings makes for irresistible clickbait. Have I been immune to the influences of my generation? My second striking encounter with old workers’ housing in Georgia was this building in Tbilisi – known as Skybridge. We stumbled upon this architectural icon almost by sheer coincidence while exploring the city’s northern outskirts.

  • Constructed in 1976, Tbilisi’s legendary Skybridge complex consists of three identical-looking apartment blocks built on the steep terrain of the Nutsubidze Plateau in the northern part of the city. To this day, the skybridge remains essential infrastructure for the neighbourhood–linking the upper road with the residential area at the bottom of the hill. The connection runs through the middle tower: an elevator accessed via the bridge itself. To activate the ride, one must drop 20 tetri (the Georgian “cents”) into a small grey machine inside the cabin.

    Residents rely on separate elevators, paying 10 tetri per ride. Inside, the towers house one- to three-room apartments. Each tower is in a different state of repair. The first building – the one farthest from the hillside – is in a severe state of dilapidation: non-functional elevators, missing doors, crumbling staircases, and visible holes in the walls. It seems to have been scavenged for materials, perhaps functioning as a kind of parts depot for the other towers.

    In contrast, the other two buildings are fully inhabited, with balconies that have been gradually extended over time.