David Carey Town Planning and Development visits Soviet housing estate in Tbilisi, Georgia

The Nutsubidze Skybridge is part of an experimental Soviet-era housing complex in Saburtalo district of Tbilisi, Georgia. It consists of three high-rise concrete apartment blocks constructed on a steep hillside, linked together by elevated concrete bridges.

I visited the complex by taking the metro to station "State University" and it is then approximately a five minute walk. Like the housing complex, the metro system is also a bit like taking a trip back in time several decades.

Constructed in 1974-76 according to the designs of architects Otar Kalandarishvili and Gizo Potskhishvili, this complex was cutting-edge at the time. The original plan was to craft an entire community of skyscrapers and skybridges, but due to a lack of funds only a small part of the project was realised.

Each floor of the first building has three flats: four-room, three-room and one-room, although over time some of the bigger flats have been divided into two.

I attempted to access the skybridge by using the stairs of the first building, although after climbing 16 floors, unfortunately I learned that the skybridge was not accessible from the stairs. I later learned that there is a publicly accessible lift available in the first building for 20 tetri (approximately 10 cents), which takes those interested to the skybridge. The complex therefore attracts some tourists.

The image above is at the top of the stairs. The steel mesh is presumably designed to be a mixture of a safety barrier and architectural feature.

Having failed at the stair attempt, I managed to access the skybridge by climbing the hill.

The first bridge provides a convenient passage between a local supermarket and the third building, allowing residents to avoid climbing the steep hill.

I was slightly deterred at crossing the second bridge upon reaching the third building, by the increased rust, crack in the pavement and greater elevation, although an old lady appeared from the other side and crossed the bridge undeterred, meaning that it was still used by the public.

The final bridge was in slightly better condition, despite the small hole in the bottom left corner. I must have been deterred from spending too much time on the bridge and taking another photo, although it is a nice view despite the strong winds (similar to the view from the stairs above).

It's possible to access the lift back to the ground floor from the final building for 20 tetri.

To some, this sky bridge is an innovative solution on a topographically challenged site to provide greater accessibility. The buildings themselves, have generated some interest from tourists and architectural enthusiasts. To some, the buildings could potentially use some maintenance and work to remove unsympathetic additions that have been added and to restore their original design.

Some would argue that older buildings, such as the one below near Rustaveli metro station in Tbilisi have greater architectural merit. The cost and time to construct is higher, as the structure does not rely on prefabricated concrete blocks and it adds many architectural features to the facade. Many would argue that this is a worthwhile trade off.