Georgia Unveils New Aesthetic Standards for Cities

Georgia's government has unveiled an ambitious plan to standardize the architectural appearance of buildings nationwide, covering everything from historic old town areas to modern developments.

A new decree on building aesthetics explains how the system will work. The government will publish a national guide that municipalities can use when shaping their planning rules. Local governments will then be able to refine the standards to suit the look and character of their own areas, The Caspian Post reports, citing foreign media.

The ruling Georgian Dream party’s economy minister, Mariam Kvrivishvili, presented the proposal at a meeting with the private sector on Tuesday. She said the goal is to introduce clear aesthetic standards that match each region’s history and urban landscape, BMG reports.

Kvrivishvili said the ministry received input from businesses and also reviewed how similar rules work in European countries.

Further research will now map out every town and city. The findings will feed into a full plan for each region. These plans will identify historic districts and areas for new development. They will also outline visual rules for buildings, such as roof and facade materials and colors. Kvrivishvili said these features should match the history and character of each place.

The new rules will introduce two types of construction permits, with a fast-track procedure within the area’s aesthetics guidelines, and a non-standard permit for projects that use different designs, materials or colors. The aim, she said, is to make sure that mass development, especially in the regions, follows a consistent visual logic.