Restorative Buildings: Tbilisi By: Loosine Vartani
(Buildings Tbilisi, Client: Tbilisi Heritage Group)
The Application:
Location: Tbilisi, Georgia
Capital City of Georgia, particulary in historic core of the city
Submit a Report 1. Mark Location on Map
Europe
Asia
2. Choose Category Churches
Get Alerts 1. Choose Location
Houses Landmarks Suggested Landmarks
In the Southern Caucasus
Other 3. Upload Pictures, Documents, Videos (optional)
2. Choose Buffer Distance for Alerts
3. Enter Email Address Receive Alerts about demolishments
Georgia
Purpose of Application:
Crowdsourced mapping of historic buildings in Tbilisi that are at risk of demolishment by the Georgian Government
Using the Ushahidi platform to determine if mobile narrative mapping has to ability to incite protest and policy reform in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Problem:
Developers and financial stakeholders in Georgia are working to modernize the city of Tbilisi, oftentimes without regard for historic preservation. Many historic civic buildings are being demolished as a result, without reproach by the government, as it provides economic development for the country. This project, Restorative Buildings: Tbilisi, is a mobile application and webpage that allows residents of Tbilisi to band together and show their solidarity against these demolishments to their national architecture.
Recent events such as the Arab Spring, Iranian Green Movement, the Haitian Earthquake, and Philippines Revolution of 2001 or the“coup de text”all had incorporated mobile technology to create a larger network of protestors.
Research Question:
Following the 2003 Rose Revolution template for successful protest in the country of Georgia, what is the potentiality of the mobile application, Restorative Buildings:Tbilisi, to create ‘digital communities’ and incite political protest regarding historical preservation in Tbilisi?
Mobile Cellular Subscription in Georgia (per 100 people)*
Georgia US World *Data from World Bank 2012