Georgian National Committee for the International Council of Monuments and Sites, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia
Conservation Planning for Chazhasti District
$59,400 awarded April 1999

In Georgia's remote Upper Svaneti region, a Getty Architectural Conservation Planning grant supported detailed historical, photographic, structural, and archaeological surveys of the stone dwellings located in the village of Chazhashi. Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the Chazhashi district contains more than fifty largely intact medieval stone buildings. With many of the buildings still in use, the district is the most complete surviving example of medieval vernacular architecture in the region. Grant funds enabled a multidisciplinary team of Georgian professionals and international specialists with expertise in art history, architectural conservation, materials conservation, engineering, archaeology, and heritage tourism to conduct the surveys. The team then produced a full set of measured drawings and developed a comprehensive plan for the site's physical stabilization and conservation. Working closely with local officials, team members also helped develop a long-term strategy to preserve the area and manage tourism. Members of the local community were involved in fieldwork and given guidance on daily maintenance, repairs, and preventative conservation. Getty funds supported the costs of the surveys, project specialists, and related materials.

National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kalaheo, Kauai, Hawaii
Archaeological Site Management Plan for Hale O Pi'ilani
$146,000 - Awarded April 2001

Getty funding supported development of a comprehensive site management plan for Hale O Pi'ilani, an ancient terraced religious structure located within the Kahanu Garden on the island of Maui. Constructed of lava rock in the early thirteenth century, Hale O Pi'ilani stands over forty feet high and covers almost 52,000 square feet. The site management project—which received an initial planning grant from the Getty—is designed to ensure the long-term protection of this National Historic Landmark by developing a formal site management plan to govern its use and future preservation. The plan is being developed by a multidisciplinary team of conservators, archaeologists, botanists, and site management specialists, working in close collaboration with members of the local community. Its goal is to synthesize information on the history, condition, maintenance, and conservation needs of the site, while addressing traditional local usages. Topics such as the history and construction of the site, its conservation challenges and priorities, visitor access, and the impact of tourism are also being evaluated. Getty funds are covering consultants' fees and research costs.

See a complete listing of grants awarded.