Batumi Chess Palace Centrum Culturale by Irakli Emiridze - Alpha Architecture

Batumi Chess Palace Centrum Culturale by Irakli Emiridze - Alpha Architecture is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum in Architectura Competition Category.

AesArchitectura· 2025

Batumi Chess Palace Centrum Culturale

by Irakli Emiridze - Alpha Architecture

Client: Alpha Architecture

Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum Winner in Architectura Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About Batumi Chess Palace Centrum Culturale

Palatium Scaccarium Batumi est centrum culturale insigne in Georgia, tamquam destinatio prima studiosis scaccorum designatum. Designatio aedificii inspirationem ex tabula scaccaria explicata ducit, cum exemplar faciei nigrum et album hoc thema reflectat. Sculptura calculi scaccarii magna ad introitum nexum cum ludo amplius confirmat, spatium simul functionale et symbolicum efficiens.

The Recognition

About the Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum

Batumi Chess Palace Centrum Culturale victor est Praemii A' Design Award Aeneum, honoris multum aestimati formis egregiis, creandi ingenio, sollertia et acumine insignibus dati. Victores Aenei opera perita et mire creandi sunt, quae experientiam, imaginationem et solertiam auctorum suorum confirmant. Exspectatur Batumi Chess Palace Centrum Culturale rem multum aestimatam, admiratam et carissimam, notabiliter professionalem et novam fore. Haec forma Aeneo victa optimas consuetudines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae amplectitur et in cura minutiarum excellit. Batumi Chess Palace Centrum Culturale necessitates egregie explet, cupiditates tangit, sensus capit et curiositatem allicit.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The Batumi Chess Palace will serve as a cultural space and a premier destination for chess lovers, not only in Georgia but around the world, and it promotes chess tourism and will have positive cultural and economic impact. The project includes: Tournament hall, Study rooms, Medical room, Administrative rooms, Conference room, Sport and literary space, Chess library, Exhibition space, Food facility, Sports shop, Hotel rooms, 2 rooms adapted for disabled people and
Gym.
Dimensions & Packaging: Height 6m Depth 60m
Tags: Chess, Palace, Batumi, Georgia
Production Technology: Axonometry with reference to materials, Artificial green carpet, facade deck, roof substructure metal from Milquadrat assembled boxes, water intake pipe, winter garden covered with glass, flat roof with proper insulation, Ventilated facade with HPL panels, Sculpture Chariot, stained glass wall.
Design Challenge: In this case, the challenge was to design a building that could harmoniously reflect the essence of chess itself, incorporating elements of the game into its structure.
Research: Alpha Architecture has won the governmental competition for the Batumi Chess Palace. Since a chess palace was to be built, Vision Architect and founder of Alpha Architecture Irakli Emiridze decided that the design should reflect the essence of chess itself, incorporating elements of the game into the building's visual concept.
Inspiration: The concept behind this project draws its inspiration from the timeless game of chess. The building’s design is influenced by elements of chess, including the game board, its square grid layout, and the rhythmic interplay of black and white squares. The overall form of the building is envisioned as an unfolded chessboard, with each side wrapped in perforated solar shades that create a changing play of light and shadow on all four facades.
The black and white pattern on the facade serves as an interpretation of the chessboard, reinforcing the theme throughout the structure. At the entrance, a sculptural installation of a chess piece further accentuates this connection to the game, marking the space as both a functional and symbolic entry point.
Project Duration: The Batumi Chess Palace, located in Batumi, Georgia, will be completed in 2027.
Operation Flow: The Batumi Chess Palace will serve as a cultural center and a premier destination for chess lovers, not only in Georgia but around the world, and it promotes chess tourism and will have serious cultural and economic impact. The two story structure by Alpha Architecture visibly draws on elements of chess through the use of repeated, rhythmic box shapes, with the chess board used as a source of inspiration for studio founder and visionary architect Irakli Emiridze. The overall volume is adapted to the local context as much as possible, so that the building with rather large dimensions is harmoniously combined with the environment.
Patents: Irakli Emiridze's Alpha Architecture has all copyrights, for this project
Image Credits: Irakli Emiridze's Alpha Architecture has all copyrights, for this project