The Kavtiskhevi quarry is one of Georgia’s largest limestone aggregate quarries, supplying the HeidelbergCement plant in nearby Kaspi. The quarry opened in 1936 and provided material for the development of Tbilisi and Kartli in the 20th century. The quarry covers approximately 183 hectares on a bench running parallel to the Mtkvari River. HeidelbergCement's Quarry Life Award is a design research program that invites pragmatic and safe solutions to restore the mined landscape and promote biodiversity after closure.
Ruderal developed an ecological rehabilitation plan that integrates culture, safety, and increased habitat. The project includes a trail system, erosion mitigation measures, and new habitat gardens. The trails will fuse nature, art, and engineering into an aesthetic and educational experience for visitors, featuring interpretive artworks. Two key drainages were supply moisture to create new habitat niches such as vernal pools. Exposed rock and slope areas will be re-contoured to reduce dust that negatively impacts local air quality. Plateaus will be seeded and recultivated with endemic forbs and grasses to support grazing animals and pollinators.
This project was designed in collaboration with Wato Tsereteli of CCA-Tbilisi, Jesse Vogler, Erin Forrest, and Joanie Walbert, with the support of Heidelberg Cement's Quarry Life Award competition.
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