Studio 8 1/2 – Architecture, Interior And Product Design

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812 Projects

New School
Sofia (BG)
2025
Educational
10280 sqm

089

Title
New School
Typology
Educational
Year
2025
Size
10280 sqm
Client
Municipality of Sofia
Collaborator
out.of.ram
Location
Sofia (BG)
Program
School
State
competition
Cost
18.5 million euros

info coming soon

Museum of History and Future
Turku (FI)
2024
Art gallery
9400 sqm

083

Title
Museum of History and Future
Typology
Art gallery
Year
2024
Size
9400 sqm
Client
City of Turku
Collaborator
mino.works
Location
Turku (FI)
Program
Museum
State
competition
Cost
39 million euros

The future museum occupies the southwest corner of the competition site, flanking the pedestrian sea promenade and continuing the existing/planned building volume. By placing it exactly there, we see the possibility of having short and direct vehicle/maintenance connections, maximizing the entire pedestrian and landscape area. The east part of the site is left wholly unoccupied, making a solid connection with the future park around the castle and making the museum a natural part. Landscape planning has a central role in the entire project, and the museum itself, on the ground level, occupies only less than 15% of the given site with complex building elements, and we can see one massive part of it as a pure park and art garden. The reference for this layout comes from this type of landscape, native and often even endemic Finnish species and landscape features - the connection between water, land and trees. It is well known that nothing is better than leaving nature occupying and revitalizing back and once covered with asphalt land. The project proposes a kind of 'storage' for art and artifacts raised and flying above the ground as in the typical vernacular buildings in some parts of the country and geographical area. With that, create a new 'wetland' on the site, made out of marshes, swamps, bog ponds, and others, aside from local tree species, which will attract the birds and animals native to this natural environment. At the same time, this type of landscape would work as a buffer and a reservoir in case of storms and high-water events. The building is a low, calm volume along the waterfront pathway. The layout follows the principle of having inner courtyards, as it is also in the nearby castle, but it is raised to make the ground floor an open park area instead of a blind border wall. The volume occupies a minimal amount of the side on the ground level and a bigger one when comparing the top levels. So, it creates a porous volume, pervious and passable for the visitors, not a single closed mass on the site. The light structure creates a visual connection with the existing city volumes and the future green areas to be developed. The volume sits logically in the corner of the competition site and completes the logical connections with existing or proposed new buildings around it. The four facades are treated almost equally outside to create a comprehensive volume. The building looks like an intact solid from a distance, but getting closer to it or inside the museum makes it feel way more open and transparent. The facade is made out of vertical independent module panels, which could be treated differently, and the horizontality could vary, giving more open space and direct unobscured views towards the main important directions surrounding the competition site. Behind this 'dress' that wraps the entire building are the terraces, the patios and the museum volumes, each one having its inner materiality, which is at the end unified by the calmness of the texture-looking at the wooden sub- and structure of the facades.

Cronorifugio
Rome (IT)
2023
Temporary
58 sqm

082

Title
Cronorifugio
Typology
Temporary
Year
2023
Size
58 sqm
Client
FAR Festival dell' Architettura di Roma
Location
Rome (IT)
Program
Site specific installation
State
competition
Cost
7500

The installation proposal mimics a well-known form of ‘an aqueduct’, ruined (probably) long-ago and sitting quietly in the context of the surrounding nature. It connects visually with the park, the river, the fragments of the city above the trees over river Tiber. Everyone is welcomed to step it, sit, read, reflect, think or just have a rest inside this created contemporary heritage object. Only the shape remain somehow about the primary matter but it does not try to recreate it literally. The materials used are fragile, natural and short-lasted. They create only a temporary structure, visually vivid, which is to live within a small time frame in the city, often recalled and well-known worldwide simply as ‘eternal’. Eternal for our own personal time frame and slowly fading out, de-evolution across time in a longer time frame. And this temporary structure creates temporary time-shelter for the people inside it. The different shadows between the structural grid, the wind passing through, the sound of the city over the river, the silhouettes of the people passing nearby behind the textile – all these fragments create the feeling that this structure is not still but in a permanent movement within the time. Every ‘room’ of the ruin is a different perspective towards the moment and the city, every moment of the day/night has its own sensations, various sunlight or atmospheric conditions mean new perceptions. The heritage is no more the physical appearance of the ruin, but it’s existence in the time and memory – it become an intangible heritage, which often is even more linked to the context and needs more deeper understanding of its existence. A wooden exoskeleton, wrapped up in a semi-transparent textile re-creates the illusion of the well-known form, which is actually an empty shell, a décor as often used in Citecitta’ to create a vision, a copy of a past moment and bring it to the present one, and later on to be dismantled and disappear without a physical trace. The cotton canopy and the wooden elements are used also in order to stress more about the sustainability aspect and the possible re-use of the materials after the installation is removed and recycled. So it will continue existing only through moment pictures, sketches, talks and in the collective memory of the visitors and the society. The physical present will become once again past and the past will be present only as non-material present. The entire installation will left no physical print on the site after being dismantled. The project tries to cross the orbits of the pristine, the ruined, the ephemeral – this human excitement about fragments of the past, which we re-create often only mentally based on our knowledge and experience and thinking about them as a ‘whole one‘, only possible, but without counting that we actually would never know if it is the right shape we ‘see’ in our mind based on the shared memory and knowledge of ours and our contemporary times. That is why the design offers simple (non-) referring form, where everyone is free to see whatever he/she wants and to interpret it rather freely of any borders and limits. At the end of the time-lapse of the installation it might be semi-destructed, with missing parts, the wood will be weathered, the textile may be torn up, but this will not make it unvaluable, rather in contrary – it would mean that the installation truly lived during this period of time. In the middle of the installation is possible to place in addition a small ‘monument’ – a fragment of a sculpture, as if ‘found’. It would be an artefact, but placed not in a closed controlled museum environment, but rather outside, with only nature on its background, in a contrary to the contemporary museography (even if we think about the industrial machines background in the Centrale Montemartini Museum, not far away from the site of the project). The sculpture could be a copy of Torso Gaddi, for example – a bust cast in simple plaster, completely not adapted for outside conditions normally. But since we are looking precisely for the temporary, always-changing and ephemeral effect, we would leave it to the natural forces, letting it to fade out and slowly disappear, and so placing the accent to its fragility and temporariness.

Brueggli Primary school and Kindergarden
Romanshorn (CH)
2022
Educational
1920 sqm

080

Title
Brueggli Primary school and Kindergarden
Typology
Educational
Year
2022
Size
1920 sqm
Client
City of Romanshorn
Collaborator
Onirism
Location
Romanshorn (CH)
Program
School
State
competition
Cost
8 million euros

The new school building site is closed off to the north and west by the street, and its geometry follows the alignment of the buildings in the surrounding neighbourhood. The building will be placed in the centre of the perimeter in the northern part of the site, leaving the entire southern part free for landscape and playgrounds. Framed by Kamorstrasse, the planned new building refers to the existing street alignments, intersections and junctions. The building height gently follows the volumes of the surrounding buildings and naturally continues them so that the open character of the settlement remains undisturbed. The skylight and the high windows of the classrooms and adjoining rooms let the maximum amount of natural light into the heart of the project. The ancillary rooms could be combined one-to-one into a double-space room or opened up towards the interior to merge the boundary between outside and inside and allow the view of the green areas to penetrate to the heart of the new school. The main entrance to the school leads to a free, open interior area in the middle of the ground floor, which serves as a presentation and event area and a communication area. The kindergarten has a group room and a small cloakroom area in the southwestern part of the ground floor. The larger cloakroom is in the open space next to the main entrance. Immediately next to it is the teacher's room and the material room. The day structure and the office/kitchen are in the northwestern part. In the northern part are all the sanitary facilities, and the middle east facade is the vertical connection, with a closed staircase and elevator. Immediately next to the sanitary facilities and the two-storey air space, a second open staircase is planned to connect the ground and first floors. The four classrooms are on the second level, with 4 group rooms and two unique rooms. All rooms are connected to the safe staircase, with internal corridor circulation around the interior airspace and a visual connection between the two levels. Under just over half of the ground floor area is the basement with the shelter and all technical rooms, including the research room and the caretaker's office.

Concentrico 08 Vina
Logrono (ES)
2022
Temporary
7 sqm

079

Title
Concentrico 08 Vina
Typology
Temporary
Year
2022
Size
7 sqm
Client
Concentrico Festival
Location
Logrono (ES)
Program
View point
State
competition

The biggest and most important asset of the suggested project site is definitely the view. A scenic view beautiful in all directions. The project proposal explores how to 'connect' the two locations with imaginary line. The plan suggest equal design on both sites which are in distant dialogue between themselves and look in the direction of each other. To make the visual experience even stronger the design suggest to lift the view platform above the ground, offering an unique experience over the wine landscape. The general form of the wooden (half-) block is rather monumental and in the same time calm without trying to put itself as the most important but to support the existing beauty. The space inside is getting narrower in height, offering at the end a very small and intimate space for only one person. A person could stay alone and not disturbed by anything, only with the view around. The bottom part is wider staircase offering a place to sit, enjoy the view on the other direction and hide for a bit of the sun. In order to make the feeling even stronger the design suggest to have the interior part of the wooden panels impregnated in an intense dark wine-red color. It will suggest even higher privacy and intimacy of the interior space, making connection with the color of the grapes and leaving a higher contrast between interior and exterior space.

AL P Apartment
Plovdiv (BG)
2022
Interior design
90 sqm

078

Title
AL P Apartment
Typology
Interior design
Year
2022
Size
90 sqm
Client
private
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Program
Residential
State
build

Refurbishment of an old apartment and interior design.

May Apartment
Sofia (BG)
2021
Interior design
115 sqm

072

Title
May Apartment
Typology
Interior design
Year
2021
Size
115 sqm
Client
private
Location
Sofia (BG)
Program
Residential
State
build

More info coming soon.

NZ House
Pauanui (NZ)
2021
Residential
225 sqm

069

Title
NZ House
Typology
Residential
Year
2021
Size
225 sqm
Client
private
Location
Pauanui (NZ)
Program
House
State
unrealized

The house is located on the bottom two terraces of the existing site topography. The main idea is to maximize the views by opening the house towards the main directions. The new home proposal uses the existing walls and gently steps on/around them with no need of any earth level works. The proposed structure is with wood elements - beams and columns covered with steel sheets or wooden planks, thermally insulated when needed. The structural raster is simple and feasible as bearing dimensions, giving the possibility to be assembled easily on side with mostly local and native materials. The floor plan is visually divided by two main parts - daily activities zone on the upper level and night area on the lower terrain plate. An open staircase from the parking lot leads down to the middle terrain terrace. There we have the main house entrance - a spacious lobby with build in furniture and bench. Next to the entrance we find a semi-open outside shower. The main living area is open with no physical divisions but rather zoning different usage - in the middle is the open kitchen with an island for cooking/snack, next to it a large dining table and possibility to open entirely towards the big terrace, blurring the border between inside and outside. On the other side we have a lounge zone, library and relax as well as possibility to get out on the roof and use it as a large flat terrace (extensively green rooftop area) with amazing views. All the area is oriented as to gain the maximum of the stunning nature surrounding the site. A small room with possibility to be used as study/work area and/or place to welcome guest is also located on this level. A small but fully equipped bathroom is of course also provided. An open stair leads us gently to the lower part of the house, playing with the levels and connecting the two parts easily as in the same time giving a needed privacy of the bedrooms block. On the lower level we find a master bedroom, together with ensuite bathroom and small walk-in as buffer area on the back. Next to the big bedroom, but with their own privacy we can see the two identical kids bedrooms, sharing a common bathroom on the back. All the bedrooms have small raised decking in front of them and of course amazing views to the ocean. The small corridor works as distribution area connecting lower and higher level, all the bedrooms, has an exit to outside and a niche for a small laundry block. The outside area is left natural and only one small rammed earth circle is provided as an exterior fireplace. In front of the house there is spacious terrain that could be used as a garden or for any other activities. The master bedroom suggest the possibility to connect with its own rooftop terrace by using a small round staircase in the middle of it. On the highest terrain level we find a parking lot with two covered spaces together with small workshop and place to store the bateries for the electricity, enough distached from the main living areas. As materials we suggest local natural materials such as timber in many different variants - burned wood cladding, natural flooring and decking, steel elements, stone and ceramic details from local artisans.

Via Donatello
Milan (IT)
2021
Interior design
35 sqm

074

Title
Via Donatello
Typology
Interior design
Year
2021
Size
35 sqm
Location
Milan (IT)
Program
Apartment
State
unrealized

More info coming soon.

Piscina Mirabilis
Bacoli (IT)
2020
Public buildings
1760 sqm

066

Title
Piscina Mirabilis
Typology
Public buildings
Year
2020
Size
1760 sqm
Client
Re-Use Italy
Location
Bacoli (IT)
Program
Art gallery
State
competition

The project’s idea is to introduce minimal impact on the existing structure. The concept is to propose a simple and very humble additional structure and refurbishment that only supports and fulfils the main space as the primary protagonist of the new museum complex. The carefully selected extensions are to be presented in a rather classical manner as a contemporary design. The complete design suggests any contemporary artist is more connected to the existing local heritage and the memory of the territory. The vicinity of the idea for the Mediterranean Sea as a starting point is crucial for the art pieces to inhabit the new space. Despite the newly organized exhibition path, the two existing staircases are preserved as secondary/personal ways in case of a need. The exhibition path is unique and clear, starting with cantilevered ramps made of corten steel sheets and leading the visitors down to the lowest point of the ex-roman cistern. It ends with a monumental stair, and in the same way, reverse, it starts again on the opposite side to bring us back up on the ground by the secondary existing entrance/exit of the structure. In the middle is a bridge that connects the two paths and suggests new views.

Sara Hilden Art Museum
Tampere (FI)
2020
Art gallery
6400 sqm

064

Title
Sara Hilden Art Museum
Typology
Art gallery
Year
2020
Size
6400 sqm
Client
Sara Hilden Museum
Collaborator
creaviz
Location
Tampere (FI)
Program
Art gallery
State
competition

The new museum building occupies the northern part of the competition site, north of Finlaysoninkatu Street, and faces its principal facade, which is the former headquarters of the factory building. The proposal tries to minimize the impact of massive exhibition volume and leave as much free space around itself as possible. The new proposed building parallels the existing historic and industrial heritage volumes, occupying the most logical perimeter within the existing urban tissue and, in this sense, completing the existing block in the city pattern. The second long facade faces entirely the existing urban park, protecting it from the street and, at the same time, allowing the new visitor flows to penetrate the new volume on the ground floor, creating a new physical connection with the park, as well as visual connection thanks to the big glazed openings within the massive block of the exhibition volume. The new proposal preserves entirely the existing important tree species and organizes its program completely around the vegetation, creating a strong visual connection with the nature around it.

Salt-Pan House
Piran (SI)
2020
Refurbishment
50 sqm

063

Title
Salt-Pan House
Typology
Refurbishment
Year
2020
Size
50 sqm
Client
Outsider
Location
Piran (SI)
Program
Shelter
State
competition

The following design proposal presents a ‘house within a house’, designed inside the perimeter of the existing ruins (without any physical contact between old and new) and cantilever over them to protect the rest of the historic building. The proposal is to ‚complete’ the shape of an imaginary existing salt-pan house on the site by using a structure of CLT cut panels covered with light semi-transparent polycarbonate material to finish the vision and to extend the life of the installation, covering it more under the atmospheric influences. The installation brings such a contemporary structure from the heights to the lowest region of the country. It places it near the sea level. In the same time we articulate with the ex-nature of the ruined walls – it was once a building for another type of ‚drying’, if we can say so – the harvest of the sea salt. Inside the contemporary structure, under its roof, visitors may receive more information regarding the history and traditions of the preserved ruins and sites. The idea is for a bright, light and airy structure floating over the ruins and reflecting into the water channel and salt pan around itself. The newly designed shelter follows the forms and the shape of the missing elements of the existing ruin completely, staying respectfully in the distance from it – the remains of the house can be fully seen, explored, touched and felt as they are at the moment. It creates a palimpsest on the site – layers of old and new, traditional and contemporary, natural and human-made. The idea for the forest-like structure of the installation comes from the traditional forms of vernacular structures within the country’s mountain regions – called kozolec. The new shape evokes the simple traditional form and beauty of the wooden structure – a distinctive construction type in Slovenia, characteristic wooden structures and buildings for drying and storing hay and sheaves of corn and other goods.

GRW Apartment
Munich (DE)
2020
Interior design
85 sqm

062

Title
GRW Apartment
Typology
Interior design
Year
2020
Size
85 sqm
Client
private
Location
Munich (DE)
Program
Residential
State
build

Low-cost refurbishment and interior decor of a top floor apartment in residential block in Munich.

Lecco Fire Brigade
Lecco (IT)
2019
Public buildings
4750 sqm

058

Title
Lecco Fire Brigade
Typology
Public buildings
Year
2019
Size
4750 sqm
Client
Municipality of Lecco
Location
Lecco (IT)
Program
Fire department
State
competition

The new building was designed to fit organically into the context and follow the existing terrain’s contours. The volume is divided into smaller ones, which are connected, allowing an undisturbed visual contact that passes from east to west and creates the connection between the mountains and the lake without obstacles. The building is a collection of different volumes, arches, empty spaces, and pitched roofs in different directions. The vernacular architecture and the language of the typical buildings are paraphrased in a modern way. Although completely redesigned, the building declares itself as a contemporary schedule on the branches of the lake.

Container factory
Lecce (IT)
2019
Industrial
600 sqm

059

Title
Container factory
Typology
Industrial
Year
2019
Size
600 sqm
Location
Lecce (IT)
Program
Factory

More info coming soon.

Bamiyan Cultural Center
Bamiyan (AF)
2019
Public buildings
2350 sqm

055

Title
Bamiyan Cultural Center
Typology
Public buildings
Year
2019
Size
2350 sqm
Client
UNESCO
Location
Bamiyan (AF)
Program
Museum
State
competition

The project proposal for Bamyan Cultural Center presents a new understanding of local construction methods and materials usage, which can result in an innovative design combined with them. The design of the building is made not to be invasive and aims to add volume completely to the existing landscape. This is executed by constructing the volume mostly from bricks made of local materials near the site. The plan of the building resembles a typical Afghanistan village, placed on a steep terrain composed of separate but connected houses simultaneously. Namely, the idea of the “community” and “sharing” is laid down as a main motive in the architectural design. It aims to show the locals that it is not outside of its context but, on the contrary – an attraction centre for the community of Bamyan. Niches excavated into the brick walls represent a “picture” of the surroundings made from the present location. The niches of Buddha Cliff will be projected on the cultural centre’s surface. The niches will be lit at night, and a whole new picture of niches will shine on the new cultural centre. The building has many skylights, which provide both the entering of natural sunlight and the ventilation of each part. These skylights lead to peculiar inner courtyards between the “village” and the “houses”. They provide a local low vegetation. Wind chimneys are also being integrated, contributing to better room ventilation. The usage of small wind turbines is suggested in the design concept. They will reference the local construction methods used by people hundreds of years ago.

Scuola Ercolano
Herculaneum (IT)
2018
Educational
2150 sqm

051

Title
Scuola Ercolano
Typology
Educational
Year
2018
Size
2150 sqm
Client
Comune di Ercolano
Location
Herculaneum (IT)
Program
School of restoration
State
competition

The main idea behind the competition proposal is to open the currently closed piazza over the archeological excavations for the visitors as a view point over them. The future school is prevised to be semi-underground structure inside the wall of the existing volcanic rock hill. One future 2-storey school erected on this site will make the excavations absolutely invisible and any possible view towards them impossible. The school is planned on 3 main levels, as the top one is a new square with columns and arches coming to make the connections with the archeological monuments and evoke the architectural style from the existing palimpsest. The new square is actually the roof of the future school below and in the middle of it is the main entrance to the building. On the south part of the square are the arches where all the visitors, tourist or the people from the neighborhoods and the city can enjoy the view over the excavations as well as the sea behind in the horizon. In the center of the piazza there is an opening from which two ramps are going downwards to the first semi underground level. The roof/square of the building has the shape of a typical roman house roof from the period of the preserved artifacts of Herculaneum. At the same time in this way the roof slopes are gently going down to the center making one different urban square and supporting the no-borders-idea to use mainly ramps. This totally sky open square is also a place to erect a significant piece of art in the middle of it. The entire school is to be built inside the rock, connected with the theme about the Herculaneum itself – an ancient city, entirely carved and called back to life from the volcanic tuffs. It is a metaphor of an ancient layout evoked on the border between ‘in’ and ‘out’, between rock and sky or between light and darkness. The one and only external façade is paraphrasing the existing arches in contemporary way – an order of 3, 4 and 5 arches in rows one over another.

Military museum
Sardegna (IT)
2018
Public buildings
6500 sqm

049

Title
Military museum
Typology
Public buildings
Year
2018
Size
6500 sqm
Client
YAC
Location
Sardegna (IT)
Program
Museum
State
competition

The main idea behind this proposal is the division of the two main parts of the brief – exhibition and hospitality by using the two different meanings of the Latin word ‘castellum’. Coming from these types we have an organically integrated in the terrain square construction in the western lower part of the competition project area. On the other hand we are proposing carefully integrated in the existing terrain/buildings small extensions of the new fort/museum. The hotel extension containing vaulted ceiling hotel rooms starts form the existing and currently abandoned long ex-barracks which are already transformed into restaurant/kitchen, lobby-bar and cafeteria with exhibition area. In the center of this hospitality area is located the welcome desk and area for the coming clients and the rest of the old buildings are to be transformed into secondary technical/plumbing and supporting the main hotel spaces. All the rooms are located in the new contemporary ‘aqueduct’ which is bordering an island garden inside the ‘castellum divisorium’. All are planned without using any excavation and only in the parts of the terrain where it is possible. In the parts where we don’t have enough height where is just the pure part of the structure coming to revoke the feeling about one entire arched structure and connecting the new hotel structure in one complete crafted peace of stone. Between the hotel and museum parts there are located the supporting buildings connected with the museum. Almost invisible, designed into the existing slope of the terrain is the new multifunctional hall, which is using the slope for its tribunes and has the opportunity for external seating thanks to the slightly redesign of the existing terrain levels. Here we can find the entrance/tickets office where is located the main entrance to the all museum complex. The big existing building here is planned to be a library with an archive and research/lessons space and is going to be connected with the main part of the museum with small elevator and bridge directly to level 100.00 where is located the small bookshop/souvenir store and the path leading to the main entrance of the museum complex. Around the library there is going to be a new pedestrian path and a staircase connecting the existing tower and leading to a point with a great view. There is a second elevator and bridge from level 89.20 leading directly to the top part of the ex-military fortress and present museum. Around this elevator there is also small amphitheatrically located in the terrain place about small performances with the amazing view on the back leading the view over the beauties of this part of the island. We can find similar sightseeing terrace on the top of the existing buildings nearby on level 92.80 and in the most southern part of the fortress. We are using the current main entrance to the fortress as a main entrance to the museum complex – a ‘castellum militare’. A long staircase/ramp is design on the terrain to lead into the museum following the design guidelines of the similar structures located on another ex-military forts on the island. The museum itself is organized horizontally as continuous space within the maze of existing small rooms where the visitor can find the different periods of naval history of the place. Every single detail of this proposal is designed with high respect to the existing buildings, without destroying the memory but adding new values to the objects. Every small extension is carefully planned and integrated within the available resources and nature conditions. The new proposal is definitely not being thought as the main protagonist of the project but playing its important role within the whole orchestra of existing volumes and its currently abandoned but valuable memory.

Aquaduct
Plovdiv (BG)
2017
Temporary
90 sqm

047

Title
Aquaduct
Typology
Temporary
Year
2017
Size
90 sqm
Client
Plovdiv 2019 Foundation
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Program
Site specific installation
State
unrealized
Cost
17500

The concept for this competition proposal is based on the memory of the situation you have chosen. The cascade behind the Dzhumaya Mosque is one of the places that could be defined as emblematic of the identity of the historical city. If we look at Plovdiv as a palimpsest, then this very place does not give a glimpse of the many historical and archaeological layers arranged on top of each other and intersecting, part of the modern urban fabric of the city. The situation is an important place where we find ‘together’ layers of the ancient, Roman, Ottoman, post-liberation, socialist and historical city. Just a few meters from this place are the foundations of the discovery of a real ancient aqueduct. The temporary installation is positioned in a north-south direction (cardo), parallel to the repeating wall of the nearby mosque, without being in direct contact with it, but defining a kind of 'corridor', closed to the west by the historical Ottoman building, and to the east by the new (co)modern structure. The modern aqueduct (or part of it) divides the currently existing terraced space into two separate parts, but also connects, because the installation itself is composed of a series of arches and open spaces that direct a future movement through-in-under-around it. The installation 'lies' between two valuable layers of the city, considering it an entirely new interaction between them - a temporary decor that overturns the connection between them, without completely and permanently disrupting it. With our proposal we follow the history of an ancient aqueduct coming (probably) from 'Bunarzhdika' and connecting it with the fortified settlement of 'Nebet Tepe'. We interpret the idea of a ‘modern aqueduct’ that follows the topography of the terrain in this situation and ‘exhibit’ part of such a facility. The facility that is created literally (but also metaphorically) to connect, a metaphor that we could integrate into our solution. Our solution proposes a temporary structure that essentially uses scaffolding wrapped in a mesh that is reused for construction purposes. The idea is to enhance the effect of a ‘temporary’ solution, of a place ‘in the process’ of formation. Also, the proposed materials suggest easy and cheap maintenance, installation and would contrast successfully with the rich historical environment around you, without trying to imitate it and become a prop.

Croatoan Specialty Café
Plovdiv (BG)
2016
Interior design
29 sqm

042

Title
Croatoan Specialty Café
Typology
Interior design
Year
2016
Size
29 sqm
Client
private
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Photographer
Dinko Mitev
Program
Cafeteria
State
build
Cost
-

Located on the ground level of the old house on the corner of two busy and noisy boulevards in the city, the building has a gross area of just 25.00 sqm, is on a single level, and is divided as follows: entrance hall with a small bar and place for customers, small hall with three tables and area for merchandising, plus service spaces, a tiny storage room and a toiled, which are connected with almost invisible doors disappearing on the grey wall. The idea is to put the accent on the coffee itself and to place the coffee machine in the centre of the café-bar. The material palette is clean and simple – grey terrazzo tops and sides for the bar and table tops, natural plywood and black-painted steel elements. Every material is used in simple combination with the others, and the clear grey-painted walls plus the natural concrete floor and the line of cement tiles in it. The customers can take their coffee away or choose a cosy place on the bar looking outside over the boulevard or a chair in the small room with tables – all the furniture is custom-made.

Furnata Art Center
Plovdiv (BG)
2016
Art gallery
1500 sqm

041

Title
Furnata Art Center
Typology
Art gallery
Year
2016
Size
1500 sqm
Client
Open Arts Foundation
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Program
Art center
State
unrealized

Architectural proposal for refurbishing and transforming an existing and currently abandoned ex-army garrison bakery into an independent contemporary art centre.

Cat&Mouse Beer-bar and Café II
Plovdiv (BG)
2015
Interior design
27 sqm

026

Title
Cat&Mouse Beer-bar and Café II
Typology
Interior design
Year
2015
Size
27 sqm
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Photographer
Dinko Mitev
Program
Café
State
completed

Six months after opening the first part of the bar, the owners got the opportunity to rent the neighbouring space and connect it with the existing one. A ‘door’ has been made between the two rooms and we were searching to create a natural contrast between the two parts with respect to the old typical architectural vision. At the same time, our main objective was to preserve the space’s identity and make it one united complex space with the old intervention. The beautiful old plasters on the walls found during construction have influenced our design approach and completely changed the initial idea. As a result, we made brain-storming on a new concept, in the centre of which was the existing wall finishing. The old flooring is almost completely kept after refurbishing and changing part of it with grey-coloured tiles. The new lighting hangs around the old steel nets on the construction site, typically used as a supporting unit for concrete works. The tables are made of steel profiles with marble tops. Half of the chairs are taken from old schools, where they were abandoned as unnecessary objects. They are completely covered by the original student scribbles and names of bands and local football teams, which only underlines the contrast between new and old. All the used materials give respect to the memories of the place and bring them back to life one more time today.

Cat&Mouse Beer-bar and Café I
Plovdiv (BG)
2014
Interior design
27 sqm

025

Title
Cat&Mouse Beer-bar and Café I
Typology
Interior design
Year
2014
Size
27 sqm
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Photographer
Dinko Mitev
Program
Café
State
completed

The place is in a 100-year-old 3-storey house, one of the many in this part, characterized by a small front- and minimal floor size. The gross area is just 20 m2 per floor, and the bar is located only on the first ground level. Instead of creating a simple beer store, the place is nowadays a degustation point for hundreds of Belgian beers and a place to meet and chat with other beer lovers in a simple and cosy home environment. At the same time, the bar works as a showroom for local craftsman-designed furniture, where everyone can explore different materials and experience unforgettable design experiences. The most common materials in the interior that underline the cosy feeling are plywood and natural wood. At the same time, they contrast with the non-painted steel/metal elements, black walls and ceiling, and exposed old brick walls, which were part of the building’s original construction.

Alternative Map of the city
Plovdiv (BG)
2013
Research
- sqm

014

Title
Alternative Map of the city
Typology
Research
Year
2013
Size
- sqm
Collaborator
Studio Punkt
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Photographer
Vladislav Kostadinov
Program
Print
State
completed

The Alternative Map of Plovdiv is a travel guide to the places of Plovdiv which are different, little-known and aren’t included in official travel guides. The Alternative Map of Plovdiv draws attention to the buildings and monuments of architectural and cultural significance which are characteristic of the city’s outlook, but are neglected and in danger of being demolished or slowly crumbling. The Alternative Map of Plovdiv presents thematic routes with relevant sites marked along them. Those following the routes can also look forward to unexpected surprises not marked on the map – narrow winding streets with cafes and restaurants, picturesque views or the mixtures of diverse lifestyles. The contents of the Alternative Map of Plovdiv and the thematic routes have been compiled by an editor and a team of historians, architects and urban planning experts. Their work also includes public lectures and open discussions known as City Arbour, where experts, citizens and the local community are welcome and active in discussing their city, its history, and its development. Since 2013 there is a printed edition of The Alternative Map of Plovdiv as well as a website: www.alternativeplovdiv.com. In 2017, new routes were included in the map based on the topics of City Arbour 2015. The 2013 Map included the following routes: Communist-era heritage in Plovdiv, Plovdiv’s Tobacco Quarter, Kapana Quarter, Bauhaus, Religions and Otets Paisiy St.

Contemporary library
Plovdiv (BG)
2012
Temporary
60 sqm

009

Title
Contemporary library
Typology
Temporary
Year
2012
Size
60 sqm
Client
Art Today Assotiation
Collaborator
Emil Mirazchiev
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Photographer
Vladislav Kostadinov
Program
Pop-up
State
build
Cost
1500

The architectural installation represents a temporary library containing solely books of contemporary art. It provides lots of comfortable places to sit/lay, bookcases, magazines and newspapers’ shelves, as well as a computer with very rich and detailed multimedia and video archive of contemporary artists. The installation is located at the largest and main room of the abandoned since decades old Turkish bath. The bath is a unique architectural monument from the XVI century built over an even older Roman bath. After being completely deserted and forgotten the bath is brought to life by the Association ‘Art Today’ for presenting contemporary artists. The entire library is built of wood, used in building construction. Here the main material remains visible in its natural beauty and appearance. An entirely new lighting has been added, which complements and supports the desired appearance. The main goal set from the very beginning was the search for contrast between the shabby, accumulated over the layers of plaster on the walls and the ceiling, the cold brick and stone walls and the warmth, clarity and coziness that a natural material such as wood can give to the whole area. The entire installation is created with a tremendous respect for its surrounding area, since without it, this effect would not be as strong.

Biblio bus
Plovdiv (BG)
2011
Temporary
26 sqm

005

Title
Biblio bus
Typology
Temporary
Year
2011
Size
26 sqm
Client
Open Arts Foundation
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Program
Library
State
build
Cost
300

The initiative was part of a competition for which entries were called to promote the Night of Museums and Galleries. Under the auspices of this festival, the winning project consisted of a proposal for a shared reading space. Rather than replacing the conventional library, the idea was to complement it and expand its functions by taking advantage of the site’s visibility and thus challenging passersby to take up the habit of reading. Adopting a provocative, alternative stance that strove to highlight the urgent need for up-to-date libraries, the project was aimed at young people in particular and, in general, at making people aware of the problem of the low proportion of readers among the citizens.

Apartment P12
Plovdiv (BG)
2011
Interior design
50 sqm

004

Title
Apartment P12
Typology
Interior design
Year
2011
Size
50 sqm
Client
private
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Photographer
Vladislav Kostadinov
Program
Apartment
State
build
Cost
500

An interior design project of a small space, low-budget apartment in an old 60s residential building with original floor/wall/ceiling finishes. The clear space size is 50 m2, the budget for the transformation was low and since the apartment is on rent we had only one month to create a new sustainable and intelligent modern space for living and working, as well as to design and build-in all the furniture. The main materials are recycled paper tubes, old painted furniture in new meanings, an old wooden palette and wood panels.

812 Lectures

International Conference on Art and Urban Public Space
Plovdiv (BG)
2014
Project 0 – “Zlatarska”street

011

Title
International Conference on Art and Urban Public Space
Year
2014
Event
Project 0 – “Zlatarska”street
Location
Plovdiv (BG)

As a culmination of the four year-long art Project 0 on 7 June 2017 in Plovdiv will be the opening of the large-scale installation – doubled mirror wall in the area of over 50 square meters and a mass nearly six tons, which will intersect perpendicularly Zlatarska Street in the iconic Kapana Quarter. The author of the project, the artist Kiril Kuzmanov, implements the idea in collaboration with the curator Vladiya Mihaylova and Open Arts Foundation, Plovdiv. The project began four years ago with the idea of creating one of the largest works in public space in the country and was presented at the exhibition Project 01 / Background: Young Artists 2010 at Sariev Contemporary. Inspired by the specifics of the particular place – Kapana Quarter in Plovdiv, gradually various people and institutions related to the particular urban environment took part in it. Along with the opening of the installation, an International Conference on Art and Urban Public Space will be held on 9 June (9:30 am – 7 pm) at the Center for Contemporary Art “Ancient Bath” in Plovdiv as a parallel program of Project O. Its goal is to continue naturally the platform concept and objectives of the project, to create vision of views and sharing of experiences. The conference will discuss issues that concern both Kapana Quarter and Plovdiv, and more general problems concerning the existence and organization of space in contemporary living, the experience and the dynamics in the surrounding environment.

Best Interiors of South-East Europe
Ljubljana (SI)
2014
Zavod BIG

010

Title
Best Interiors of South-East Europe
Year
2014
Event
Zavod BIG
Location
Ljubljana (SI)

BIG Architecture Ljubljana Festival is one of the largest Architecture events in South-Eastern Europe and brings together in the Slovenian capital the leading experts in architecture and interior design from South-Eastern Europe and beyond, who will have the opportunity to present their latest projects and discuss the main themes of contemporary architecture. The Festival is therefore not only an opportunity for dialogue and professional growth, but also an important moment for networking and relationships. Zavod BIG, the organiser of the event, aims to unite the countries of South East Europe (SEE) and to highlight promising but often little-known artists. The BIG SEE platform comprises 21 countries, representing a market of 350 million people and offering numerous networking opportunities. For this reason, the debates that the Festival proposes are important moments of reflection and dialogue, which will be structured around five in-depth themes led by experts from South-Eastern Europe. The first panel will delve into Italian design, exploring the themes of inclusiveness, innovation and sustainability in production. Next, deans of faculties from South East Europe will examine experimental methods in architectural pedagogy. An international group of curators and editors will discuss the effective use of digital media platforms to communicate architecture to the general public. The fourth debate will focus on urban architecture and the complex relationship between politics and architecture. Finally, in the concluding debate, representatives of chambers of architecture will explore the various approaches to organising architecture competitions in different local communities.

‘Architecture and Art’
Sofia (BG)
2013
UACeG University of Architecture

009

Title
‘Architecture and Art’
Year
2013
Event
UACeG University of Architecture
Location
Sofia (BG)

"Architecture Meeting..." are discussion meetings focusing on contemporary problems and examples from the urban, social and cultural environment. Divided into three panels and held in the university workshop "Projection" on 4.12, 11.12 and 18.12 2013 (Wednesday), the participants in the dialogues comment on processes in the public space through various independent and collaborative professional practices. The goals of the meetings are to formulate a comprehensive view of the problems, an open conversation between professional fields, as well as dialogue and rapprochement of the laboratory and public space. "Architecture Meeting..." will be moderated by Vladiya Mihaylova (curator at the "Vaska Emanuilova" gallery, Sofia City Art Gallery) and arch. Hristo Stankushev (dontDIY). What are the specific interrelationships between architecture and art in the present day? Do we need conditions for displaying art and how does art fit into different architectural spaces? These questions will be addressed in two directions: On the one hand, the meeting will discuss the relationship from architecture to art, by examining different art spaces and the conditions of their environment, which influence the type of artistic products and audiences. On the other hand, the relationship from art to architecture will be discussed by examining different artistic projects that work with/in specific spaces, as well as the role of the so-called public art.

Curatorship ‘Failed Architectural Competitions’
Plovdiv (BG)
2013
Sofia Architecture Week

008

Title
Curatorship ‘Failed Architectural Competitions’
Year
2013
Event
Sofia Architecture Week
Location
Plovdiv (BG)

"ONE ARCHITECTURE WEEK is an annual international festival for architecture, which will have its next edition in September 18th-27th 2015 in Plovdiv. Launched in 2008 as a two-day conference under the name SOFIA ARCHITECTURE WEEK, the event expanded into a more than a week-long meeting and idea exchange platform for architecture, interior design, landscape and urban environment. Through stimulating a broad professional and public debate the festival aims at initiating sustainable social and architectural practices. The diverse and intense program features presentations, exhibitions, discussions, workshops, screenings and urban interventions as well as architectural workshops for the youngest. Every year ONE ARCHITECTURE WEEK focuses on a specific topic with a fresh curatorial team. Тhe 2015 topic is "Un-common river" and the festival is curated by Merve Bedir. Organisers of the festival are EDNO in partnership with America for Bulgaria Foundation and since 2013 - Plovdiv Municipality. The festival's program is part of Plovdiv's cultural calender and supports Plovdiv, European Capital of Culture for 2019. The guests of the festival include names such as Node Office, Noura al Sayeh, NL Architects, Mansilla Tunon, feld72, Rudy Ricciotti, JDS Architects, Atelier Kempe Thill, Anne Lacaton, Randic-Turato, OFIS arhitekti, Emre Arolat, Raumlabor, Jan Schellhoff от UNStudio, Bernardo Secchi and Paola Vigano, Nils Ole Brandtzaeg, ZOOM Studio, Atelier Oslo, Amin Taha Architects, Salto Architects, Georgi Stanishev, GMP, Fantastic Norway Architects, studioBASAR, Fang Zhenning, I/O Architects, OBIA, Mass Studies, Chyutin Architects, Orso Fattinger Architects, Ivan Kucina and Studio 8 ½.

‘What’s Next’ Upcoming Bulgarian architects
Sofia (BG)
2013
Sofia Architecture Week

007

Title
‘What’s Next’ Upcoming Bulgarian architects
Year
2013
Event
Sofia Architecture Week
Location
Sofia (BG)

Teaching/Critics, ‘I can build’ initiative
Plovdiv (BG)
2013
Professional School of Building

006

Title
Teaching/Critics, ‘I can build’ initiative
Year
2013
Event
Professional School of Building
Location
Plovdiv (BG)

The thematic finals of the national project with international participation "I Can Build" will be held on May 8 and 9 in Plovdiv. 12 teams will compete in them, ranked according to four different tasks - a contemporary modern and a traditional Bulgarian house, a bungalow and a pavilion. Two teams from the city of Edirne - Turkey and representatives of 2 vocational colleges and 1 high school from Romania will also participate directly in the final. The trend is that "I Can Build" will become international from a national one next year, comments Plamen Ivanov, chairman of the Chamber of Builders in Bulgaria - Plovdiv, initiator and creator of the project. The presentation of the projects by the individual teams will begin in the Vienna Hall of the Plovdiv International Fair. They will be evaluated by an expert jury, which includes rectors of specialized higher education institutions in the country, chairmen of professional industry chambers, the mayor of the host city and other officials. For the fourth consecutive year, “I Can Build” has proven to be extremely useful with the idea of creating a bridge between generations and helping young specialists from school to outline and realize their professional path. Through it, they have the opportunity to show not only their knowledge to the academic community, but also to prove to what extent they have mastered their future profession. And the most important thing, according to the organizers, is that young specialists understand this themselves and are increasingly actively involved and supporting the development of the project.

Cosmos Cinema Competition Plovdiv
Sofia (BG)
2012
Sofia Architecture Week 2012

005

Title
Cosmos Cinema Competition Plovdiv
Year
2012
Event
Sofia Architecture Week 2012
Location
Sofia (BG)

Sofia Design Week is an international festival for design and visual culture. It takes place every June in Sofia, and features a professional forum with prominent speakers from all over the world, as well as an extensive programme of open events targeting a broader audience - exhibitions, workshops, discussions, talks, screenings, parties, book openings, and children events. This event strives to serve as a platform which stimulates and supports the development of design professionals in Bulgaria. At the same time the festival aims to present and promote sustainable and sensible practices for better and beneficial visual environment from around the world. It was first launched in 2009 as part of a series of events comprising Sofia Architecture Week, Sofia Dance Week, Sofia Contemporary, Mellow Festival. Last year, the event gathered 70 speakers, and participants from 13 different countries.

A City Arbour (discussion serie)
Plovdiv (BG)
2011-2015
artnewscafe Open Arts Foundation

004

Title
A City Arbour (discussion serie)
Year
2011-2015
Event
artnewscafe Open Arts Foundation
Location
Plovdiv (BG)

A City Arbour is an Open Arts Foundation and Studio 8½ initiative realised in аrtnewscafe. A City Arbour is a series of discussions on previously selected and prepared topics concerning the city of Plovdiv, which started in the spring of 2012 and had its second edition again in 2015. Architect Vladislav Kostadinov moderated the discussions in 2012, and so did Katrin Sarieva in 2015. The organisers invited visiting lecturers for each individual discussion, who took a stand or presented an expert opinion. The monthly topics covered in the A City Arbour discussions at artnewscafé in 2012 were The Communist Era Heritage of Plovdiv, The Tobacco Warehouses of Plovdiv, Kapana quarter, Bauhaus under the Hills, The Utopian Plovdiv, The Industrial Buildings and Adjoining Structures, The Quarters Outside the Centre of Plovdiv – their centres and underground, and The Independent Public Spaces. The topics for the 2015 edition were: The Neighbourhood – The Hadzhi Hasan Neighbourhood, The Maritsa River: Methods of Inhabiting (Karshiyaka, Marasha and Stolipinovo), Social Life of Panel Blocks (Trakiya quarter), Plovdiv’s Hills as Forms of Urban Life. A City Arbour was designed as a short presentation complemented with comprehensive multimedia visual information – pictures, video presentations, draft plans, graphs – aiming at initiating an open discussion on the given topic and drawing and documenting concrete alternative and independent ideas resulting from the arbour-circle. Based on the 2012 discussions, in 2013 the An Alternative Map of Plovdiv project was set up and after the “arbours” from 2015 the map edition was updated and supplemented.

Lecture and presentation
Sofia (BG)
2011
Positive/Negative Architecture Students Awards

003

Title
Lecture and presentation
Year
2011
Event
Positive/Negative Architecture Students Awards
Location
Sofia (BG)

166 students took part in the annual exhibition competition POSITIVE/NEGATIVE 2011, which was held from 1 to 4 December at the Sousrasious Gallery in the capital, on 13 "6-ti septemvri" Str. The event was organized by students for students. The exhibition aims to showcase projects from various universities and to distinguish the best among them. Students of architecture, urbanism, landscape architecture, fine and applied arts, studying in Bulgaria and abroad, can participate in the competition. Each student must present one of their own academic or competitive projects on board A1. This year's competition - REUSED Sraces, emphasizes the introduction of "new life" and a new function to spaces in need of regeneration. The location is at the choice of the participants - square, cross, garden, basement, monument, building, interior of a building, etc. The main criterion for evaluation is the motivation for choosing the location. The student must convince the jury that the object is of public interest and has potential for exploitation. The format of the competition provides an opportunity for students to meet and exchange ideas and experiences, to compete directly and to be objectively evaluated by prominent specialists. The organizers' desire is: "To create an environment for creative competition among students, which will lead to the development of more quality architectural projects for the future and to promote the development of architectural education in a positive direction." The competition program, in addition to the judging and defense of the projects, includes lectures by leading architects and presentations by sponsors.

‘The limits of the Balkans’
Sofia (BG)
2011
Sofia Architecture Week 2011

002

Title
‘The limits of the Balkans’
Year
2011
Event
Sofia Architecture Week 2011
Location
Sofia (BG)

The "SAW 2011" (Sofia Architecture Week 2011) festival is opening Tuesday in the Bulgarian capital. A number of exhibits and lectures, scheduled between November 1 and 6, are going to present the unlimited possibilities of architecture. The exhibit Images of the City aims at bringing together, comparing, and creating different visions for the urban environment in Sofia. The competition titled Arch Module focuses on the future of panel buildings in Bulgaria – the results will be presented during SAW 2011. The US Embassy in Sofia is sponsoring the participation of American architect Fritz Haeg, whose lecture is one of the opening events of SAW 2011. Haeg's presentation begins at 8 pm Tuesday at Perform Business Center, 2 Positano Square. On November 2, SAW will see Austria's contribution, "Modern Austrian architecture made of wood", at the Alma Mater Gallery of Sofia University. Curator-in-chief Ruediger Lex and architect Bruno Moser will give lectures on a broad range of aspects involved when building using wood. These lectures are on November 2 at the Club of the Architects, Krakra Street. There are a total of 14 exhibits, 12 lectures, 8 discussions, plus work meetings, presentations and film showings. The festival is organized for the 4th consecutive year by the EDNO (ONE) project, the America for Bulgaria Foundation and the Sofia City Hall.

Pecha Kucha Night Vol.9
Sofia (BG)
2011
Sofia Architecture Week 2011

001

Title
Pecha Kucha Night Vol.9
Year
2011
Event
Sofia Architecture Week 2011
Location
Sofia (BG)

PechaKucha (Japanese: ぺちゃくちゃ, IPA: [petɕa kɯ̥tɕa],[1] chit-chat) is a storytelling format in which a presenter shows 20 slides for 20 seconds per slide. At a PechaKucha Night, individuals gather at a venue to share personal presentations about their work. The PechaKucha format can be used, for example, in business presentations to clients or staff, as well as in education settings. "SAW 2011" (Sofia Architecture Week 2011) There are a total of 14 exhibits, 12 lectures, 8 discussions, plus work meetings, presentations and film showings. The festival is organized for the 4th consecutive year by the EDNO (ONE) project, the America for Bulgaria Foundation and the Sofia City Hall.

812 Exhibitions

Best Interiors of South-East Europe
Ljubljana (SI)
2018
Month of Design

Title
Best Interiors of South-East Europe
Event
Month of Design
Location
Ljubljana (SI)
Year
2018

Month of Design is an annual festival of know-how and creativity in design. It is an original platform for evaluation, promotion and identification of significant achievements in the field of design in the Southeast Europe and in the world. With its activities proactively promote the development of creative economy when creating a mental environment for creative and innovative interplay of ideas in creative and entrepreneurial sphere, connecting the creative entities in the new social and business environment and encourages an interdisciplinary, intergenerational and intercultural dialogue. Exhibition of award-winning products and projects of South-East Europe in the fields of product and fashion design, architecture (interior) as well as wood and tourism.

Drifting Architecture
Bucharest (RO)
2016
East Centric Triennale Main Exhibition

Title
Drifting Architecture
Event
East Centric Triennale Main Exhibition
Location
Bucharest (RO)
Year
2016
Curator(s)
Bogdan Ghiu

East-Centric Architecture Triennale is a cultural event meant to foster a tighter collaboration between architects, theorists, critics of architecture and historians from East and Central Europe and from all over the world, with the aim of representing and presenting them both to the specialized and general audience. East Centric Architecture Triennale supports and promotes critical discourse both among practitioners and theorists of architecture, critics and historians.The variety of activities featured by the Triennale (exhibitions, conferences, debates, competitions) gives an overall image of the diversity of discourses from East and Central European region. The theme of East Centric Architecture Triennale first edition was Trans(ap)parencies. East Central Architecture Triennial is organized by Arhitext Design Foundation, together with the Romanian Chamber of Architects, as main strategic partner, and “Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism. For more than 25 years, Arhitext has been a screening tool for Romanian architecture, art, design and culture, blending international trends with native content. Drifting Architecture will showcase the transformation process of contemporary architecture and, along with it, of architectural critique in the region, by means of a thematic exhibition and a critical discussion, that will bring together professionals from the region and from all over the world. The exhibition will highlight a selection of consistent architecture projects relevant both for the regional historical context, as well as for the social and cultural environment. East Centric Arhitext Awards will bring together projects of remarkable quality implemented in the past five years in East and Central Europe. They will be presented to the public by their authors, in several sessions of the jury. The competition will be complemented by two online exhibitions, East Centric Arhitext Award Exhibition and the special guest conference, held by architect Dietmar Feichtinger.

Esportare il centro storico/Exporting the urban core
Brescia (IT)
2015
Expo Milano 2015

Title
Esportare il centro storico/Exporting the urban core
Event
Expo Milano 2015
Location
Brescia (IT)
Year
2015
Curator(s)
Benno Albrecht

For the entire duration of Expo and on into early 2016, the Milan Triennale offers at least ten occasions for taking a trip out of town. Con Triennale Xtra, Milan’s historic exhibitions centre extends its activities to the rest of the Lombardy region with ten art, architecture and design exhibitions in ten towns and cities: Brescia, Como, Lecco, Lodi, Mantova, Milano, Varese, Dalmine, Lissone and Sesto San Giovanni. This major, multi-location initiative is an opportunity to reflect on the fact that modern and contemporary architecture in Italy is still an underrated part of the heritage, even though some of the things created in the region often went on to become models for work done elsewhere in the world.

Joint Exhibition of Architects
Sarajevo (BH)
2015
Days of Architecture

Title
Joint Exhibition of Architects
Event
Days of Architecture
Location
Sarajevo (BH)
Year
2015

“Days of Architecture 2015“, eight in a row, were officially opened in Sarajevo, this time on the theme “Modern architecture of the region“, which is in the focus of this four-day manifestation (from 28th to 31st May). The Opening ceremony of the Days of Architecture was held in the Historical Museum of B&H, with the exhibition of young Bulgarian architects named “20 under 36“ and an interactive workshop for children. Participants of the ceremony were able to attend the video-mapping of the Historical Museum whose facade was fully revived through modern technology. As the Senior Assistant at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Sarajevo and the moderator of the Children’s workshop, Senka Ibrisimbegovic, said, within the Days of Architecture, a workshop for children was created this year for the first time in order to include the youngest generation in active thinking about the architecture and space and to raise awareness on that plan. Within the program of the manifestation, more than 30 young architects from nine countries of the wider region will present their work to Sarajevo audience. Otherwise, Days of Architecture represent one of the biggest events in the field of architecture in B&H. They are designed as an annual, multi-day event that includes various lectures of international and local architects, exhibitions, film screenings and similar events. Until now, Days of Architecture were held seven years in a row (2008-2014), with more than 50 different lecturers from 15 countries and followed by numerous exhibitions and film screenings.

‘20 under 36’, Best young architects
Sofia (BG)
2013
Sofia Architecture Week

Title
‘20 under 36’, Best young architects
Event
Sofia Architecture Week
Location
Sofia (BG)
Year
2013
Curator(s)
Boyka Ognyanova

This year we are looking for the wakers of the city. Sofia Architecture Week is a festival with established audiences, known at the Bulgarian and international level. This year our partner is the Municipality of Plovdiv. A large competition for the "Central" square took us there. The municipality will announce it within the framework of our festival, which takes place from November 22 to December 1. We invite the public to join "20 x 36" - an exhibition that presents young professionals in the field of architecture, urbanism, urban environment, landscape architecture. The exhibition will be presented on the main pedestrian street in Plovdiv, added Ognyanova. The other open invitation is for some children's workshops "back to school", where architects return to school, working with students on topics from the city.

Trans(ap)parencies
Bucharest (RO)
2013
East Centric Architecture Triennale Exposition

Title
Trans(ap)parencies
Event
East Centric Architecture Triennale Exposition
Location
Bucharest (RO)
Year
2013

East Centric Architecture Triennale 2013, with the Trans(ap)parencies theme, is an event dedicated to East and Central European architecture and critique, which will be organized in Romania, between 10-27 of October 2013. The central components of the Triennale are Trans(ap)parencies Exhibition (critical demarche), the essay contest (critical discourse) and East Centric Arhitext Awards (practical architectural demarche and discourse). The Triennale is the place to meet, debate and reflect for the practitioners, critics, students and public at large. Arhitext design Foundation announces that starting today the open call for the selection of the projects to be present in the Trans(ap)parencies Thematic Exhibition is opened. This open call responds to the constant need to identify the most recent examples of quality architecture. Targeting both emerging offices and well-established practitioners, it is a public request which gives the opportunity to outline a complete, and thus more relevant image of the architecture built in the last 5 years in Central and Eastern Europe. This request is also open to experiment and innovation. Also, Arhitext design Foundation launches an essay contest in order to promote and encourage the critical discourse on architecture in Central and Eastern Europe. The contest gives the participants the opportunity to approach critically the contemporary architectural phenomenon in this region. By means of essays, the persons concerned are able to set out, detail and argue their own vision on the architecture of one country, of more countries or of the entire region of Central and Eastern Europe and/or to make a critical presentation of significant projects built in the 21st century.

Temporary site-specific exhibition
Plovdiv (BG)
2012
Festival City and Public Spaces

Title
Temporary site-specific exhibition
Event
Festival City and Public Spaces
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Year
2012
Curator(s)
Vera Mlechevska

„City and Public Spaces“ 2012 is a continuation of the eight-year long programme for city environment projects organized by Open Arts Foundation as part of the „Night of Museums and Galleries – Plovdiv“. In 2012 the platform „City and Public Spaces“ will take place in September, 17 – 22 with a programme entitled „Rituals of the Habitual“ curated by Vera Mlechevska. The programme will present 10 projects by artists from Poland, Czech Republic, Israel, USA, Spain, Turkey and Bulgaria as well as meetings and discussions with artists and cultural experts. The locations for these events will be alternative, historical, archaeological public and private spaces emblematic for the city of Plovdiv. The project deals with the topic of rituals and habits as indicators for deep-seated practices in society, which is a key to understanding the mechanisms driving the mass psychology and the chances for social change in collective practices. Concept “Rituals of the Habitual” is a project that takes in various locations of Plovdiv’s urban environment seeking to overcome the challenges presented by the visual public setting. It is an effort that pursues an immediate contact with audiences outside the traditional art spaces.

Exhibition, video presentation
Plovdiv (BG)
2012
Center for Contemporary Art

Title
Exhibition, video presentation
Event
Center for Contemporary Art
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Year
2012
Curator(s)
Emil Mirazchiev

URBAN DREAMS consists of two project modules: 1. Artistic interventions in public space Based on manifold perspectives of diverse artists URBAN DREAMS explores public and semi-public spaces. Through URBAN DREAMS art becomes a research strategy and the city changes into a laboratory. Arts, the city and everyday life confront each other. Reactions and interactions with the inhabitants will join the continuous process of research. Since the attained insights stem from urban spaces, presentation opportunities are to be found in precisely these spaces. Connections will be generated directly at the place of origin. Recipients turn simultaneously into objects of observation and observers of objects, into the investigated and the investigators. The act of (re-)search becomes an artistic performance itself. 2. The exhibition as an “archive” of dreams 26.10 - 26.11.2012 For this project the exhibition space of the Centre for Contemporary Art changes into an archive and reading room of (mainly Eastern) European artistic urban research saving dreams expressed in explicit, such as in implicit manners. Beside the results of the latest artistic urbanism in Plovdiv and in other partner cities of the HEICO network, this archive will also present international projects from the last twenty years by different forms of media, based on material provided by partner organisations and artists.

Architecture forum Plovdiv
Plovdiv (BG)
2012
Chamber of Architects Exhibition

Title
Architecture forum Plovdiv
Event
Chamber of Architects Exhibition
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Year
2012

This year, the Plovdiv associations of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria (CAB) and the Union of Architects in Bulgaria (UAB) are organizers of the most significant architectural event in Plovdiv. The two industry structures, with the official support of the Plovdiv Municipality and the Plovdiv - European Capital of Culture Foundation, are the initiators of the "Architectural Forum Plovdiv 2012", which will start on July 16. The organizers summarize the goals of the event in several directions. The cultural and social aspect is expressed in the idea of linking the architectural event with Plovdiv's candidacy for "European Capital of Culture 2019". The College wants to remind the Plovdiv public that architects exist, care about their city and try to make it more attractive and comfortable to live in. The ambition is to reflect architectural problems in the urban environment and to improve selected places with original and bold solutions.

In Favour of Public Space
Barcelona (ES)
2012
European Prize for Urban Public Space

Title
In Favour of Public Space
Event
European Prize for Urban Public Space
Location
Barcelona (ES)
Year
2012
Curator(s)
Josep llinàs

The European Prize for Urban Public Space is a biennial competition organised with the aim of recognising and making known all kinds of works to create, recover and improve public spaces in European cities. The European Prize for Urban Public Space is a biennial initiative of the CCCB which, after its exhibition «The Reconquest of Europe» (1999), decided to establish a permanent observatory of European cities. From its inception, the Prize has aimed to recognise and make known the best works transforming public space in Europe. Well aware of the ambiguities inherent in the notion of public space, this is the only prize in Europe which recognises and promotes a space that is both public (open and of universal access) and urban. The Prize is therefore different from other initiatives focused on the figure of the architect, and awards given for landscaping projects, since it draws attention to the relational and civic nature of typically urban space. The Prize involves the cooperation of various European institutions that make up its Advisory Committee, as well as a Board of Experts consisting of specialists from around Europe who guarantee wide-ranging geographic cover and the quality of the works presented for the Prize. Candidates for the last edition award numbered 279 works from 179 cities and 32 European countries. A selection of the best works from all the awards may be found under the heading of "Works" on the website of the project. The Prize, which is honorific, has several distinguishing features. First, it is conceded to both the architect and the council, the branch of public administration or promoter which is responsible for bringing about the intervention. Second, the Prize does not single out - at least exclusively or as a priority - large-scale urban planning interventions but is also attentive to great or small of what might be called urban surgery which aim, above all, to improve the life of citizens. Third, the Prize is distinctive in its European focus. Preserving and highlighting local particularities, it is concerned to pay tribute to the shared features of urban planning interventions all around Europe in order to defend and promote a certain European idea of city. The Prize represents one part of the CCCB's general framework of permanent multidisciplinary reflection on the city and public space.

Architecture forum Plovdiv
Plovdiv (BG)
2011
Chamber of Architects Exhibition

Title
Architecture forum Plovdiv
Event
Chamber of Architects Exhibition
Location
Plovdiv (BG)
Year
2011

45 years Union of Architects
Sofia (BG)
2011
Union of Architects in Bulgaria

Title
45 years Union of Architects
Event
Union of Architects in Bulgaria
Location
Sofia (BG)
Year
2011

The Union of Architects in Bulgaria (UAB) was established in 1965 as an heir to professional and amateur organizations set up in the years following the Liberation of Bulgaria from the five-century long Ottoman domination in 1878. It is also the successor to a tradition of remarkable architectural landmarks from various historical periods: churches, monasteries, remains of palaces and fortresses, and well-preserved ethnographic complexes of houses built during the National Revival Period. After the liberation, the authorities of the new state put some serious effort in urban planning projects as well as in the construction of modern public buildings. Initially, foreign architects were invited to work on important projects but not long afterwards many Bulgarians who studied abroad returned to their own country to rebuild it in a new way. The foundations of the university education in architecture in Bulgaria were laid in 1943. For decades, Bulgarian architects have been working successfully in Bulgaria and abroad, earning numerous awards at international competitions. To mark its 45th anniversary, the Union of Architects in Bulgaria has organized a series of events. At the beginning of October, the annual National Review of Bulgarian Architecture was held, with more than 500 projects taking part. Another initiative is the large-scale open-air exhibition downtown Sofia, offering a dialogue between the past and the present in architectural art.

Arch21 Society Summer Exhibition
London (UK)
2011
Presidents Medals Awards

Title
Arch21 Society Summer Exhibition
Event
Presidents Medals Awards
Location
London (UK)
Year
2011

Established in 1836 when the Institute of British Architects awarded the first Silver Medal to George Godwin for his essay on the 'Nature and Properties of Concrete', the President's Medals are the RIBA’s oldest awards and are regarded as the most prestigious prizes in architectural education globally. The current format of the awards dates to 1986, when at the celebration of their 150th anniversary, the Institute replaced a large number of student awards, scholarships and prizes with the Bronze and Silver Medals to reward outstanding design work at RIBA Part 1 and Part 2. In 2001, a Dissertation Medal was added to reward accomplished written work. Participation is by direct invitation only to over 500 schools of achitecture located in 100 countries. Schools are invited to nominate up to 2 entries for the Bronze Medal, up to 2 entries for the Silver Medal, and 1 entry for the Dissertation Medal. In 2024, a record 372 entries were received from 118 schools located in 36 countries. The winners receive their awards from the RIBA President at a ceremony in December of each year. This coincides with the opening of an exhibition of entries that also tours throughout the UK and internationally. Over the last few years, this showcase of talented student work has been exhibited in countries such as Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, Finland, France, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Kuwait, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

812 Publications

IMPROBABLE LIBRARIES
UK
2015

Title
IMPROBABLE LIBRARIES
Typology
Book
Location
UK
Year
2015
Author(s)
THAMES & HUDSON

BIBLIOTECHE INSOLITE
Italy
2015

Title
BIBLIOTECHE INSOLITE
Typology
Book
Location
Italy
Year
2015
Author(s)
LOGOS

GLOBAL PUBLIC SPACE TOOLKIT
Kenya
2015

Title
GLOBAL PUBLIC SPACE TOOLKIT
Typology
Book
Location
Kenya
Year
2015
Author(s)
UN United Nations

MASTERPIECES: LIBRARY
Switzerland
2014

Title
MASTERPIECES: LIBRARY
Typology
Book
Location
Switzerland
Year
2014
Author(s)
BRAUN Publishing

MAKE_SHIFT CITY
Germany
2014

Title
MAKE_SHIFT CITY
Typology
Book
Location
Germany
Year
2014
Author(s)
JOVIS

SMALL & CHIC INTERIORS
UK
2014

Title
SMALL & CHIC INTERIORS
Typology
Book
Location
UK
Year
2014
Author(s)
LOFT

MD Furniture
Bulgaria
2018 July-August

Title
MD Furniture
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2018 July-August

MD Furniture
Bulgaria
2016 July-August

Title
MD Furniture
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2016 July-August

Architext
Romania
2016 March

Title
Architext
Typology
Magazine
Location
Romania
Year
2016 March

Bravacasa
Bulgaria
2016 January

Title
Bravacasa
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2016 January
Author(s)
Lidia Manolova

Pro Holz Zuschnitt
Austria
2014 September issue #55

Title
Pro Holz Zuschnitt
Typology
Magazine
Location
Austria
Year
2014 September issue #55

A10
Nederlands
2014 May-June

Title
A10
Typology
Magazine
Location
Nederlands
Year
2014 May-June

Architecture D’Interieur
France
2013 July-August

Title
Architecture D’Interieur
Typology
Magazine
Location
France
Year
2013 July-August

Architext
Romania
2013 May-June

Title
Architext
Typology
Magazine
Location
Romania
Year
2013 May-June

Domus
Israel (IL)
2013 April-May issue #25

Title
Domus
Typology
Magazine
Location
Israel (IL)
Year
2013 April-May issue #25

A10
Nederlands
2013 March-April

Title
A10
Typology
Magazine
Location
Nederlands
Year
2013 March-April

MD Furniture
Bulgaria
2013 March-April

Title
MD Furniture
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2013 March-April

Octogon
Hungary
2013 March

Title
Octogon
Typology
Magazine
Location
Hungary
Year
2013 March

Curve
Lebanon
2013 February-March

Title
Curve
Typology
Magazine
Location
Lebanon
Year
2013 February-March

The Swatch Eye
Switzerland
2013 issue #1

Title
The Swatch Eye
Typology
Magazine
Location
Switzerland
Year
2013 issue #1

Casaviva
Bulgaria
2013 Spring

Title
Casaviva
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2013 Spring

Architecture
Bulgaria
2013 issue #2

Title
Architecture
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2013 issue #2
Author(s)
Plamena Georgieva

Abitare
Bulgaria
2012 December-February

Title
Abitare
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2012 December-February
Author(s)
Antonie Manolova

Abitare
Bulgaria
2012 November

Title
Abitare
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2012 November
Author(s)
Antonie Manolova

Bravacasa
Bulgaria
2012 November

Title
Bravacasa
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2012 November
Author(s)
Lidia Manolova

A10
Nederlands
2011 November-December

Title
A10
Typology
Magazine
Location
Nederlands
Year
2011 November-December
Author(s)
Hans Ibellings

Casaviva
Bulgaria
2011 Winter issue

Title
Casaviva
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2011 Winter issue

Bravacasa
Bulgaria
2011 October

Title
Bravacasa
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2011 October
Author(s)
Lidia Manolova

Bravacasa
Bulgaria
2011 January-February

Title
Bravacasa
Typology
Magazine
Location
Bulgaria
Year
2011 January-February
Author(s)
Lidia Manolova

Tag » Architecture 8 1/2

Studio 8 1/2 – Architecture, Interior And Product Design

812

Projects

New School

Sofia (BG)

2025

Educational

10280 sqm

New School

Educational

2025

10280 sqm

Municipality of Sofia

out.of.ram

Sofia (BG)

School

competition

18.5 million euros

Museum of History and Future

Turku (FI)

2024

Art gallery

9400 sqm

Museum of History and Future

Art gallery

2024

9400 sqm

City of Turku

mino.works

Turku (FI)

Museum

competition

39 million euros

Cronorifugio

Rome (IT)

2023

Temporary

58 sqm

Cronorifugio

Temporary

2023

58 sqm

FAR Festival dell' Architettura di Roma

Rome (IT)

Site specific installation

competition

7500

Brueggli Primary school and Kindergarden

Romanshorn (CH)

2022

Educational

1920 sqm

Brueggli Primary school and Kindergarden

Educational

2022

1920 sqm

City of Romanshorn

Onirism

Romanshorn (CH)

School

competition

8 million euros

Concentrico 08 Vina

Logrono (ES)

2022

Temporary

7 sqm

Concentrico 08 Vina

Temporary

2022

7 sqm

Concentrico Festival

Logrono (ES)

View point

competition

AL P Apartment

Plovdiv (BG)

2022

Interior design

90 sqm