Renovation project of alpine camp Ailama

Yaroslavl State Technical University

Project idea

The collapse of the USSR resulted in a pause in the development of the international sports movement and the depopulation of many sports and tourist bases. Mountaineering was one of the sports that received the most damage. The cessation of funding led to the closure of most alpine camps and the decline of the territories they occupied. However, these seemingly deserted and a little wild lands have rich tourism potential. The regeneration of such territories will make it possible to fully realize this potential and make an invaluable contribution to the economy of the regions and nearby settlements.

The main idea of the project was to identify the features and specifics of the formation of mountaineering complexes within the framework of modern socio-economic conditions, building an approach to the regeneration of the territories of former alpine camps using the example of the Ailama alpine camp.

Project description

"Ailama" is an alpine camp in the gorge of the mountain river Koruldashi. It was the most popular among all alpine camps of Georgia. The alpine camp is located in a picturesque gorge at an altitude of about 2000 meters. A unique feature of the territory is warmer and more humid climate, which is due to its location on the southern slope of the Main Caucasus Range. A huge variety of beautiful mountain peaks and passes make this area highly attractive for tourists and climbers.

On the north side, the territory borders on the former arsenic processing factory, and even further begins the glacier at the foot of mountain Ailama (height 4546 meters), which gave the name to the alpine camp. The relief of the territory is quite calm, without sharp elevation changes, the slope runs along the longer side of the territory from north to south. The alpine camp stand along the road connecting Lower Svaneti (Kvemo Svaneti) and Upper Svaneti (Zemo Svaneti).

Sadly, today only the ruins of the building of a cafeteria, a warehouse and an administration remains here. The contours of the old master plan have not been preserved.

Given the elongated shape of the territory, the new master plan of the tourist complex follows linear scheme. One dead-end passage connected with the main road is designed. The first building line adjoins the passage: a hotel, a restaurant with a grocery store, a community and cultural center on the base on a former factory, an alpine school, a snowplow garage, and a first-aid station. The second, pedestrian, line is formed by residential apartment houses, the building of the SPA-complex and baths.

Pedestrian transits on the territory of "Ailama" are located in the direction of the main compositional axis. The main transit is limited by the multifunctional center in the northern part and the sports zone in the southern part, forming a kind of straight street between the second building line and the river. The transit of the second order is presented in the form of a geometrically complex closed path passing through all the functional areas of the camp site. Between transits in the restaurant area, the main square is formed, the isolation of which is created by the facades of buildings overlooking it.

Speaking about the space-planning design of the tourist complex, it is necessary to pay attention to the transport highway located here. In this aspect, this road should be considered not just as a transport artery, but as a factor in the historical context of Svaneti. This is due to the fact that the road is a historical route between Upper and Lower Svaneti: all traditional settlements with the famous Svan towers adjoin this route in one way or another, since it was and remains the main one. Therefore, the logical conclusion is that the assessment of the architectural context in this case should cover not just the nearest territory, but the route as a whole: the camp site should be perceived as a natural inclusion in the chain of historical architectural objects located along the main route of Svaneti. To solve this problem, it turned out to be obvious to use the principles of building and tectonics of the traditional archetypes of Svaneti. So, the layout of the development of the tourist complex is the buildings grouped according to the functional basis - residential and public. The facades of buildings are characterized by a pronounced, dominant the surface of the walls with relatively small openings.

Technical information

The functional scenario of the territory involves the use of various typologies of residential and public buildings. Two typologies were adopted as housing: a hotel with hostel and private rooms and cottage-apartments. Cottages are represented by several types of planning structures - studios, room and two-story apartments.

The function of public catering is performed by a pre-cooking type restaurant. It has 2 floors, each of which has dining rooms. Warehouses and locker rooms for staff are located on the first floor, a kitchen with a pantry for the day's supply is on the second. Technologically, the pantries and the kitchen are connected by an elevator.

On the territory of the tourist complex, a separate building is allocated that is directly related to mountaineering – an alpine school. Functionally, it is divided into two wings – an alpine school and equipment rental. The alpine school consists of a gym with a climbing wall, adjacent changing rooms for climbers and coaches, as well as lecture rooms on the second floor. The equipment rental is located opposite the sports center of the complex, it has a hall with equipment on display, warehouses, laundry and workshops.

As an additional recreational function, such a typology as the building of a SPA-complex is presented in “Ailama”. It includes a gym with associated facilities on the ground floor, a sauna area on the second floor, and massage and cosmetologist rooms on the third.

Separately, it is worth mentioning a multifunctional public building on the basis of a former factory. In its pure form, it does not belong to a specific typology. Within this building there are a souvenir shop, workshops, a hall for events. The second floor is occupied by the mountaineering museum, as well as open operated areas on the roof.

Documentation

Show PDF 1

Created in: