History of the FIABCI-Georgia Prix d’ Excellence Awards Trophy

Jan 24, 2022 Latest News

How the 16^th century Meskhetian dwelling became an inspiration for the ‘Real Estate Oscars’

Awards ceremonies are always full of excitement. An award is more than just a beautifully shaped and designed item – there is a lot of history and symbolism behind it. Let us look at the story behind the trophy that will be presented at the FIABCI-Georgia Prix d’ Excellence Awards – the Oscars of the real estate industry.

It was decided early in the design process that the trophy must incorporate unique elements of Georgian architecture. To realise this idea, event organisers FIABCI-Georgia and Property Georgia brought urbanist and architect Oto Nemsadze on board. After a joint brainstorming session, it was decided to use the design of a 16th-century Meskhetian crown arch as the symbol for the award. “As a representative of this profession, I am always keen to highlight the architectural values of Georgia. I believe that the incorporation of the Meskhetian crown arch will enrich the identity of this award,” Oto Nemsadze stated.

Meskhetian dwellings have several unique features, such as the peculiar crown arrangement and an extraordinary construction system – a simple square with a hearth in the middle of the hall, and a crown roof with a window for light and smoke at the end.

The medieval dwelling is a perfect example of an energy-efficient house. Meskhetian halls, which can only be found in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region, are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The roof window is the only source of light, but the crown walls ensure that the light is reflected equally across the whole room. Walls built without plastering materials, and roofs built without nails were resilient to earthquakes, as the seemingly flexible and ‘lively’ construction was seismically sustainable.

Due to these unique architectural features, the crown roof of the Meskhetian hall became the inspiration for the first FIABCI-Georgia Prix d’ Excellence Awards. This is reflected in the unique design of the award, which displays the unique elements of Georgian architecture in a modern way.