An overview of traditional Georgian architecture - Part 2, Oda house

Oda house

The oda house is one of the most characteristic and widespread forms of vernacular architecture in Georgia. The oda house is widespread in north west Adjara, Guria, Mingrelia, Abkhazia, Lechkhumi, Racha, Imereti and along the Kartli, Imereti border. Despite the widespread distribution of the oda house it looks nearly the same in all the regions it is present. It has a uniform appearance almost always including a front facing balcony and a simple rectangular layout. In this post i will also detail some of the outer buildings present on rural farmsteads in these areas as well as the different house types.

1) Guria, Samegrelo, Imereti + Southern Abkhazia

The distribution of this subgroup roughly corresponds with the colchis lowlands. These houses hardly change with the differences being small and insignificant. The oda houses in these areas are built using this format. A stone foundation or instead simple wooden/stone supports. Usually there is no basement or if there is it is constructed of wooden planks or stone. A wooden plank first floor with a protruding balcony at the front of the house. And finally a roof constructed with clay tiles or wooden shingles. The oda house in Guria is the smallest whilst the Imeretian and Mingrelia are larger on average. The Oda houses in Guria, Mingrelia and western Imereti have the unique feature of elaborate stone staircases that enter on to the front facing balconies. Examples of these staircases can be seen on the illustrations below of a house from Baghdadi village, in Guria, and an two houses from the town of Zugdidi in Mingrelia. The decorations of the oda houses in all these regions are the same. The Balconies on oda houses have a balustrade made either of simple wooden planks, fret worked planks or individual, carved wooden balusters. The wooden pillars supporting the roof above the balcony are sometimes carved. The doors and shutters on oda houses are sometimes decorated with wooden applique. Oda houses in these areas sometimes include ceiling features (similar features exist in the Southern Balkans, Anatolia and other regions in Georgia and the Caucasus) made with wooden applique that is fitted into the ceiling of the main "living area". The outer buildings on farmsteads in these regions are not notable other than the unique food storage barns in SW Guria.

An house from Chanchati village, Guria

A house from Abasha village, Mingrelia

A house from Chkhorotskhu village, Mingrelia

A house from Chkhorotskhu village, Mingrelia

A house from Kontuati village, Imereti

A house from Skhliti village, Imereti

Plan of a house from Ozurgeti, Guria

A food storage barn built on small stone supports. Askana village, Guria

Plan of a house from Baghdadi village, Guria

Plan of a house from Mazandara village, Mingrelia (Note the ceiling detail is shown in the center)

Plan of a house from Jgali village, Mingrelia

Details from a house in Jgali village, Mingrelia

Plans of two houses from Zugdidi, Mingrelia

Plan of a house from Kutoli village, Abkhazia

Plan of a house from Kinchkha village, Imereti

Plan of a house from Zodi village, Imereti

Plan of a house from Kldeeti village, Imereti

Plan of a house Kldeeti village, Imereti

2) Racha + Lechkhumi

The oda house in Racha and Lechkhumi appears very similar to some of the oda house varieties in the colchis lowlands. Especially the varieties of oda houses in Imereti and Mingrelia. However Rachian and Lechkhumi oda houses more often have a first and second floor and use stone foundations rather than simple wooden or stone pillars. They also sometimes feature a more prominent balcony that wraps around the front and sides of the house and can be two storied. The roofs are usually constructed with wooden shingles. The decorative features of these are the same as the oda houses in the colchis lowlands. Rachian and Lechkhumi oda houses are laid out in a similar way to the oda houses in the colchis lowlands. A unique feature of Rachian villages is incorporating the food storage unit into the gate of a farmstead.

A house from Orbeli village, Lechkhumi

A house from Orbeli village, Lechkhumi

A house from Gogolati village, Racha

A house from Gogolati village, Racha

A house from Abari village, Racha

A house from Abari village, Racha

Plan of a house from Derchi village, Lechkhumi

A food storage structure from Kvashkhieti village, Racha

Plan of a house form Skhieri village, Racha

Plan of some gates from Zvareti village, Racha

Plan of a house from Korta

Plan of a house from Bokva village, Racha

Plan of a house from Bokva village, Racha

Plan of a house from Bokva village, Racha

A barn from Bokva village, Racha

3) Northern Abkhazia

Oda houses in Northern Abkhazia are quite unique and divergent from those in south Abkhazia. Due to the hilly landscape of north Abkhazia the oda houses here often have a stone foundation rather than simple stone or wooden supports, like in the colchis lowlands. These houses often have a basement that is constructed from wooden planks, bricks or stone. oda houses in northern Abkhazia have front facing balconies that are sometimes two stories high. The balconies are decorated with fretwork. Wooden shingles are used for the roof. Whitewashing is also sometimes common on the stone or brick basement.

A house from Tsebelda village, Abkhazia

A house from Achandara village, Abkhazia

Plan of a house from Duripshi village, Abkhazia

Plan of a house from Blaburkhva village, Abkhazia

Sources:

Illustrations - From the books "ქართული ხალხური ხუროთმოძღვრება : წიგნი II" & "ქართული ხით ხუროთმოძღვრება"

Photos - Various posts on websites. Some of the watermarks show the source. I do not take credit for any of these photos. All credit goes to the websites and authors.

An overview of traditional Georgian architecture - Part 1, Introduction + Adjaran architecture

Introduction

Traditional architecture is passed down by people who have lived in an area isolated for a long time. Throughout their existence in this land, these people would have learnt how to build most efficiently in accordance with their lifestyle and the climate they inhabit. They would have also picked up the skills to make buildings that are beautiful as well as practical and developed a unique sense of aesthetics. This is an architectural style that incorporates the local resources, culture and lifestyle. There are a great many different forms of traditional architecture in Georgia. 

Adjaran architecture

This style of building is common in the SW of Georgia. It is spread across all of Adjara, parts of West Samtskhe and parts of Southern Guria. The Adjaran house can be further subdivided into smaller groups. These being the Lazi group, The Northwestern group and the Adjaran group. I have gathered these classification terms from the book called "ადამია, ილია - ქართული ხალხური ხუროთმოძღვრება : აჭარა" (Georgian folk architecture: Adjara by Ilia Adamia).

1) "Lazi group" (Batumi, Keda and Kobuleti districts of Adjara)

The Lazi subgroup is named after the Lazi people (A closely related ethnic group to the Georgians) who live in SW Adjara and NE Turkey. However, this way of building is also found in Adjaran (Georgian) areas of Adjara as well. This form of building bears a resemblance to the different forms of vernacular architecture in NE Turkey. Particularly those found in the coastal parts of the Artvin, Rize and Trabzon regions. 

A house from Chakvistavi village built using a wooden frame filled with stones.

A house from Zundagi village built using the stone "cell" technique

A house from Zundagi village built using the stone "cell" technique.

A house in an unknown location made with a wooden frame filled with bricks.

A house from Dzentsmani village, Adjara

A house from Dandalo village, Adjara

The construction of these houses generally follows this formula. A thick stone foundation, basement and sometimes first floor. The first floor and second floor is made using wooden planks or is constructed of a wooden frame made of small "cells" filled with individual stone blocks or a wooden frame filled with bricks or stones. The roof is made using clay tiles. The layout of the house consists of a basement used for general storage, as a wine cellar or space for drying fruits etc. The first and second floors consist of residential spaces. The planning of the residential areas of the house usually centres around the main living area (family hall) or connecting hallway. The outer buildings on the farmsteads are not particularly notable other than the Serenti. The Serenti is a small wooden storage space made on tall, thick wooden pillars with large stone or wooden top pieces that prevent rodents from climbing up. Similar structures are found in Northern Turkey and in other parts of Georgia.

Plan of a house from Sarpi village, Adjara

Plan of a house from Sarpi village, Adjara

A house from Gonio village, Adjara

Plan of a "Serenti" storage unit from Gonio village, Adjara

Plan of a house from Vaio village, Adjara

2) "Adjaran group"  (Keda and Khulo districts of Adjara, West Meskheti and the Chkhakoura valley in Guria)

The Adjaran subgroup is named after the geographical area of Georgia in which this style of architecture is most common. Similar styles of building are found in neighbouring Artvin, Turkey. The Adjaran house, compared to the Lazi-type house, uses a lot more wood. These houses are sometimes constructed nearly wholly with wood. The Adjaran-type house is generally constructed with a fully stone foundation or partially wooden and stone foundation. A basement constructed with stone, wooden plank or log walls. The first and second floors are constructed with wooden plank or log walls. And the roof is made with wooden shingles. The basement is used to shelter animals or as general storage. The upper floors are used as residential areas and have a plan that is centred around a cross-shaped hallway. Unlike the Lazi-type house, there is a much more common use of balconies that wrap around the first floor of Adjaran-type houses.

Houses from Ghorjomi village, Adjara

A house from Chechla village, Samtskhe

Plan of a house from Kedlebi village, Adjara

Plan of a house from Didachara village, Adjara

Fireplace details from Didachara village, Adjara

Ceiling details from Didachara village, Adjara

Plan of a house from Pachkha village, Adjara

Plan of a barn from Pachkha village, Adjara

A food storage structure from Pachkha village, Adjara

A house from Chkhakhoura village, Guria

Food storage structures from Zoti village, Guria

3) "North Western group" (Kobuleti district)

The northwestern subgroup of Adjaran architecture is a transitional type between the Lazi subgroup and the oda house (The oda house is the predominant house type in Guria, Abkhazia, Samegrelo and Imereti) . Sometimes these houses verge nearer to the oda house whilst other times they look more like the Lazi house. However, they never fit perfectly into either of the categories. NW Adjaran houses are usually constructed on a stone foundation or stone/wooden supports. Sometimes there is a stone basement. The first floor is constructed using wooden planks. The roof is constructed with clay tiles. 

A house from Leghva village, Adjara

A house from Kakuti village, Adjara

A house from Achkvistavi village, Adjara

A house from Achkvistavi village, Adjara

Sources:

Illustrations - From the book "ქართული ხალხური ხუროთმოძღვრება : აჭარა"

Photos - Various posts on websites. Some of the watermarks show the source. I do not take credit for any of these photos. All credit goes to the websites and authors.