Sofia City Centre Bulgaria : Architecture Information

Dominique Perrault Architecture SOFIA CITY CENTER SOFIA, BULGARIA International competition, winning project, April 2009 images © Perrault Projets Adagp client Minister for Regional Development and Public Condtruction , Sofia, Bulgaria. architecte Dominique Perrault Architecte, Paris • engineering Arup, London location boulevard Tsarigradsko Shosse, Sofia, Bulgaria site area 65 ha program Gouvernment district, office buildings, hotels, housing buildings, sports facilities, knowledge center, exhibition center, park land area. Gouvernment district: 325 000 m² Office and housing buildings, hotels area: 555 000 m² Knowledge center: 50 000 m² Exhibition center: 60 000 m² Park land area and sports facilities: 190 000 m² Additional residentials: 200 000 m² This project is an urban development strategy. It is not an architectural project, more precisely architecture is used as a device to create a territory with its specific landscape. We do not want to build towers, but an architectural ensemble which silhouette evokes the hilly landscape of a small mountain. Inside this topography not only is a river flowing, but also a park-garden which preserves the existing trees. We want this new district to develop harmonious relationships between nature and architecture. This long green space runs through the site and joins the two entrance crossroads, offering to public transports new possibilities of connections and services. The strategy consists in proposing a regulation envelope which will define the silhouette of the district and its density. Inside this “virtual” envelope, the buildings are arranged according to the programs as well as the property and economical opportunities. This piece of city gets built “under” this envelope with freedom, fluidity and flexibility. images © Perrault Projets Adagp Each architecture has its own architect, its own design, its own client, but all of these architectures show gradually the specific outline of this territory. The movements of this silhouette are interralated with the urban and geophysical environment, scoring with high points the gates of the district, or accompanying with low points the surrounding streets. This park has to become the great public space, the spine of the district. It is this silhouette that shall be controlled by the public power, the private power being in charge of the building varied and mixed architectures. Dominique Perrault, April 2009 Sofia City Centre images / information from Dominique Perrault Architecture