Drivers crossing the coastal border between Turkey and Georgia will now pass below a knobbly observation tower by Berlin architect J. Mayer H.
The bumpy tower, which sits atop the Sarpi Border Checkpoint building, houses a series of elevated terraces within its folds.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
The curved two-storey building beneath the tower integrates customs facilities with a café, staff room and conference rooms.
This year architect J. Mayer H. also completed a controversial timber canopy across a public square in Spain - see readers' comments on the project here and see more projects by the architect here.
Photography is by Jesko Malkolm Johnsson-Zahn, apart from where otherwise stated.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
The text below is from J. Mayer H. Architects:
Sarpi Border Checkpoint in Georgia
Completion of Construction
November 2011 marks the completion of Sarpi Border Checkpoint. Designed by J. MAYER H. architects the customs checkpoint is situated at the Georgian border to Turkey, at the shore of the Black Sea.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
With its cantilevering terraces, the tower is used as a viewing platform, with multiple levels overlooking the water and the steep part of the coastline.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
In addition to the regular customs facilities, the structure also houses a cafeteria, staff rooms and a conference room.
Above: photograph is by Beka Pkhakadze
The building welcomes visitors to Georgia, representing the progressive upsurge of the country.
J. Mayer H. Architects
Project Team: Juergen Mayer H., Jesko Malkolm Johnsson-Zahn, Christoph Emenlauer
Project: 2010-2011
Completion: 2011
Client: Ministry of Finance of Georgia
Architects on Site: Beka Pkhakadze, Ucha Tsotseria
Building Company: JSC Transmsheni
Structural Engineering: LTD BWC
Structural Engineering of Tower: Nodar Edisherashvili
It looks like a disfigured 1960's spaceship with a caravan on top.
Can anyone explain this project please ? It looks very arbitrary ! Why the rounded folds ?
It's obviously based on the rolls of fat that bulge over the belt of the border control guard, how could you have missed that?
good humour but I know that they specifically choose beautiful girls as customs officers. the concept is that the country starts from border. :)
Looking at the section, you can sort of see how the rounded folds sticking out of the sides of the tower are actually observation terraces, quite appropriate for a border checkpoint. Shame on dezeen for not including the photos from above which actually show them, at least the drawings are there.
Try actually reading the sparse explanation between the photos, I know the words are easy to miss with your finger grinding away at the mouse's scroll button.
particularly to look unthreatening. I'd go so far to say it's inviting. Even beautiful. And why not. Hurray – this is a fabulous creation.
Make it stop.
Woha! I love it, but I kind of really hate it too.
If it was a hotel or something Id loathe it outright, but as a peice of political/military/functional architecture Ive got a bit of a crush, I mean we've all seen how they usually play out.
I think this'll be like all that wonderfully mental 70's space insipred/brutalist soviet archeitecture, in 25yrs it'll be perfect. People will say "OMG they were cray-cray round the turn of the century with their buildings that look like old flash graphics",
ok mabey not those exact words, but you know what i mean….
xtiaan, there is not a big enough "like" button to express how I feel about this comment.
Drip edge? Balcony? Handrail? Program?
Erich Mendelsohn is rolling over in his grave.
That's not a building —that's a Dr. Seuss' illustration!
Snoopy Tower! Cool! Comic architecture? A new style?
Why not a new style?
welcome to Georgia.. country of wobbely lines and massive alcohol consumption.
One day big furry extraterrestrials will come and use it as a comb.
Really quite impressed that this was approved and built by a government ministry. Absolutely no way anyone in the US government would have the guts to even consider such a proposal. Not sure if I love the building, but I love that it got built.
it's horrible :(
This is beautiful.
Oh my god, it's a Snoopy silhouette!
What's the name of the cartoon???. Barbapapa at the border.
snoopy?
to me it reminds of a puzzle piece with the round edges and shape, like a connecter piece between the two countries….
you got it!
The hole building is GRATIS—FREE, all the forms were designed without a justifying thought , simply formalist , and in my opionion a bad one.
if you could spell whole correctly one might overlook your rigid thinking…..there are justifying thoughts – and feelings – behind this building's form.
It's a beautiful Duck. (see Venturi, duck vs. decorated shed) Beautiful exactly because it makes no sense. As for architecture? Well firmness, utility, beauty – two out of three, arguably, ain't bad. And is life span an issue for this kind of building?
cartoon folly + simple icon
georgia met turkey + they made a duck building
It looks like the architect bought a new stencil that he really wanted to try.
Can't imagine why else?
loads of comments though… perhaps it is what our controversial numb society needs. there is no reason. just a form. architecture becoming more arbitary than sculpture.
i mean u look at this and you think, this could be? housing? museum? office building? cafe with a terrace?
nevertheless I do not think it is bad as architecture but it testifies the stage that we are in globally.
if this was done by a starchitect that likes childish curves , there would possibly be less comments and more likes.
designed in 10 minutes.
snoopy surfing out to the sea. what fun!
i wished it was pink. white just didn't do any justice.
Well, I love it. If you said "Border Observation Tower" to me I would imagine grey, imposing, cold. This is the opposite – light, friendly and fun. Why the hell not?
Also I know you people love your weird building nicknames, but a duck? Seriously?! This is like cloudwatching with shortsighted people who are also insane.
ehm, duck doesn't mean that it is shaped like one, they refer to Robert Venturi's "duck" (an ungainly building in which the whole form and its function are tied together) this comment is like cloudwatching with people who have no notion about architectural history
Haha! 1-0 to you – my fault for skim-reading and holding an irrational grudge for silly building nicknames :)
Meyer is overrated and repeats himself in a BAD way.Poseur willing to do everything, even with extracorrupt regimes.Sad
I passed through it by chance a while ago.. The interior is quiet nice and passing it is quiet comfortable. as for the architecture it's really unexpected for that thing to be there, it really makes u stare for some time being in confusion whether to cry or lough. but it is more comedy than drama…
You are all upset by the outside, but, come on, what about the interior, there wasn't any fantasy left!
I find it hard to believe that Dezeen followers are having such a hard time with this building. Why?
It IS light and friendly and unthreatening – a major international and long term statement of intent in a world where borders are more often tense, testing grounds of changing politics and policies.
Incredible it actually got built!
Why? look at it!
it's on a par with gough's new maggie's centre in the aesthetic sensitivity stakes.
I'm completely bemused by them both…
imho hot garbage but hey if there is a niche for it…