GLASS FOR FACADE 2022

GLASS FOR FAÇADE - EDITION 2022 - 37 36 - GLASS FOR FAÇADE - EDITION 2022 MIXED USE AXIS TOWERS DANCING TWIN TOWERS: UNIQUE ARCHITECTURE FOR THE CITY Tbilisi is Georgia’s capital and the country’scultural andeconomiccentre, with a population of almost 1.2 million and an area covering around 500 km². And it still has plenty of potential. Recent investments, especially in infrastructure and tourism, testify to the city’s commitment to further increasing its appeal and economic performance. This is also evident in the construction of the Axis Towers, whose unique architecture has made them new landmarks in the city. The two 147-metre-high twin towers are located in Tbilisi’s city centre and resemble a «city within the city». The multifunctional complex, comprising 37 floors above ground and four floors below, includes a public pedestrian zone with retail space, restaurants and cafés, a fitness centre, office space, an hotel and residential units. Location Tbilisi, GE Architects Alexander Mezhevidze (author and developer of the project), Gega Astakhishvili, Nino Mosulishvili and Nika Kilasonia Glass processors Elita Burji, Pietta Glass Working Façade maker Elita Burji LLC Photos ©Saint-Gobain, Courtesy of AXIS TOWERS The towers stand on the same plinth and rotate along their axes in opposite directions by two degrees per storey. Even though the towers share the same basic shape, they differ in key respects: one has a dark, shimmering solar control glass façade, while the other is clad in light-coloured natural stone. The contrasting dark and bright as well as light and solid underline the two towers’ interconnectedness. This is further accentuated by the mirroring effect of one tower in the glass exterior of the other. Saint-Gobain Glass solar control glass COOL-LITE® KN 166 II ensures exceptionally good natural light conditions at the interior and combines high levels of solar and thermal protection. This lowers cooling loads, reduces the use of primary energy and cuts CO 2 emissions.