Nestled in Georgia’s Caucasus Mountains near the UNESCO-listed village of Ushguli, Mestia is preparing to welcome a new architectural icon — the Mestia Airport terminal, designed by LSG Solutions. Serving as a vital link to Tbilisi, the project marks a new era where heritage meets innovation.
Selected from 18 national competition entries, LSG’s design was praised for its spatial clarity, cultural sensitivity, and engineering innovation. Inspired by Queen Tamar, Georgia’s 12th-century monarch, the terminal translates motifs from her royal attire into a timber lattice structure that embodies both female strength and national spirit.
Led by architects Nino Grigolashvili and Teona Gogoladze, the concept — “an airport named after a female monarch, designed by a female team” — carries profound cultural symbolism. The single-story building features a timber roof, floor-to-ceiling glass, and skylights, blending natural light with the textures of stone and wood. Locally sourced materials, natural ventilation, and sustainable methods ensure harmony with the alpine environment.
More than a transport hub, Mestia Airport represents a dialogue between legacy and modernity, reinterpreting Georgia’s identity through architecture — a cultural journey woven into flight.
