Sofia after Musman plan

(1950-now)
module: Planning Methodology

Assoc. prof. Milena Tasheva – Petrova,

Urban Planning Department, UACEG, Sofia, Bulgaria
INTRODUCTION THROUGH HISTORY

• BEFORE 1950-s
CENTURY KEY EVENTS, YEARS/PERIODS
VI-Vth c. New Stone Age (Neolith). The closest one to the city centre among the
BC numerous prehistoric settlements in Sofia Valley is today's neighbourhood
of Slatina
IVth-IIIrd Copper-stone age (Chalcolith). Remnants were discovered much closer to
c. BC today's metropolitan centre, at the now lowered terrace near “Knyaz
Alexander Battenberg" square
The Thracian town came into being around the preserved until today
thermal springs, called “the town of the Serdi”, named after the inhabiting it
Thracian tribe.
Ist 45 AD.- the territory inhabited by the Serdi passed to the newly formed
Roman province of Thrace
IInd Serdica founded by Trajan
between 176-180, during the joint rule of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and his
son Commodus, the city was fortified with a wall. The hot mineral spring
was capped and the public baths (thermae) were built around it
IIIrd At the end of the centyry - Serdica became the capital of the newly
established province of Dacia Mediterranea.
IVth Church of St. George and Amphitheatre of Serdica built
311 - Emperor Galerius, together with the emperors Licinius and
Constantine, issued the Edict of Toleration, legalizing Christianity in the
Roman Empire. Thus Serdica became a kind of first Christian capital of the
Roman Empire before Constantinople
343 - Council of Serdica convenes attended by delegates from all over the
Empire, and for a long time it was designated as Ecumenical.
Vth 447 - Town burned by Huns
http://www.ulpiaserdica.com/index_en.html
CENTURY KEY EVENTS, YEARS/PERIODS
VIth Emperor Justinian I the Great (527-565) was the last period of the city's
flourishing in antiquity. At that time the fortification walls of the city were
rebuilt and the imposing basilica of Saint Sofia Church was built.
VIIth the Slav tribes had settled in the Serdica region and the city continued to
exist as Triaditza in a Slavic environment within the borders of the Eastern
Roman Empire, Byzantium (end of the VI and beginning of the VII century)
IXth 809- Conquered by the Bulgarian Khan Krum (803-814).
814-831 - the reign of Khan Omurtag. The city became part of the First
Bulgarian kingdom and was named Sredetz, thus reflecting its geographic
location
Xth 972 - Byzantians conquer the north-eastern Bulgarian lands, Sredets
became the temporary capital of the state and the Bulgarian Archbishopric
XIth Boyana Church built near town
1018 – fell under Byzantine rule
XIIth Under Byzantine rule, the city did not lose its significance. It was the
temporary seat of the Byzantine governor of the "themа (region) of
Bulgaria", called the "Duke of Sredets".
1194 - Town renamed "Triaditsa"
XII – IVth During the Second Bulgarian kingdom (1194 – 1382), there was a time of
prolonged economic and cultural prosperity for Sredets. The city grew and
finally took the look of a typical medieval city. The streets narrowed,
appeared buildings with a characteristic brick - stone structure, new small
churches were erected, and in the vicinity many monasteries appeared -
mostly on the slopes of Vitosha and Stara Planina
1329 - Town renamed "Sofia."
1382 - Ottomans take Sofia
XVth 1443 - Town occupied by Hungarian forces
CENTURY KEY EVENTS, YEARS/PERIODS
XVIth Sofia was a thriving trade centre inhabited by Bulgarians, Romaniote,
Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews, Armenians, Greeks and Ragusan
merchants., During the
XVIIth The city was the largest marketplace of the Balkans
1610 - Catholic See of Sophia established
XVIIth A stone-paved road linked Sofia with Europe and Asia Minor.
XIXth Sofia became the administrative centre of a sandzhak, large administrative
unit of key importance to the Ottoman Empire.
1874 - the first railway crossing the Balkans reached Sofia as part of the
famous Orient Express
1878 - Town occupied by Russian forces. An urban sanitary commission and
a fire-fighting service were established. For hygienic reasons, the horse-
and cattle-markets were moved outside the city borders.The first public
garden was opened – now – the City Garden
1879 – the capital of Bulgaria relocated to Sofia from Veliko Tarnovo. Area
of the city: 3 square kilometers.
1888 - Sofia University founded; Sofia Central Station and Sofia Zoo open.
1901 the first tram was launched

1908 City becomes capital of the Tird Bulgarian Kingdom

1914 Vrana Palace built near Sofia
1919 Simplon Orient Express (Paris-Sofia) begins operating
1925 16 April: St Nedelya Church assault
1934
1938
1939 Bulgarian National Bank built, Area of city: 42 square kilometers
1943,1944 Bombing of Sofia in World War II by Allied forces
1945
1946 City becomes capital of the People's Republic of Bulgaria
THE MUSMAN PLAN, 1938, More: https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/Render/964
MODERN DEVELOPMENT OF SOFIA (1945-1989)
FOUR PLANNING STAGES

• First planning stage: 1945–1961

• Second planning stage: 1961–1972
• Third planning stage: 1972–1979
• Fourth planning stage: 1979–1989
 MODERN DEVELOPMENT OF SOFIA (1945-1989)
FOUR PLANNING STAGES
First planning stage: 1945–1961

City’s crisis caused by:

• damages of a considerable part of the housing (12 000 buildings) as a result of
Allied bombings during the WWII (since September 1944 Bulgaria is a German ally)
• drastic change in the social and political system of the state.

Rapid measures for control of the situation – the first post-war Sofia development
plan, passed with a decree in 1945.

3 sub-periods:
• 1950s – limited housing construction is limited. Several housing estates are built
on some empty territories close to the city centre – Lagera, Krasna Polyana,
Zaharna Fabrika, where the buildings have 3-4 stories.
• Fast development of heavy industry starts - by the mid-1960s housing construction
expands, with the first major (currently – mid-sized) residential districts being
built, such as Vladimir Zaimov, Lenin, Deveti septemvri, Zapaden park, Hipodruma.
• By the late 1960s, the first prefabricated concrete housing appears.
Изток Хиподрума

Западен парк
 MODERN DEVELOPMENT OF SOFIA (1945-1989)
FOUR PLANNING STAGES
Second planning stage: 1961–1972
in 1956 with a government call for a new general plan for the development of Sofia.
Two teams; Two projects; Work and discussions of the project continue until 1960.
Both projects promote polysentric development, maintains one main city centre.

HOUSING ESTATES – STRUCTURE AND COMPOSITION

Before 1970s micro-regions
a basic structural unit for population of 15,000-
20,000 residents;
closed circle of services, the main criteria is the
school catchment area.
The micro-region is divided into housing groups
with population of 2,000 to 3,000, where the
criteria is a kindergarten catchment area.
After the 1970s,
a housing district - 40,000 to 50,000
residents, complete with medical
facilities, cinema, etc.;
a planning region - of 100,000 to
200,000 residents, complete with a
hospital.

The attempts to control the size of the city fail; in only 5-6 years the parameters and
the limits of the project are exceeded. The capital begins developing according to the
second, rejected project, which necessitates the construction of large housing macro-
regions on vacant territories.
MODERN DEVELOPMENT OF SOFIA (1945-1989)
FOUR PLANNING STAGES
Third planning stage: 1972–1979

• By 1968 - unexpected continued growth of the city leads to the call for
another
• development plan, as the current one is deemed at an end.
• 1969 - special team - detailed research, creates a new information basis
and contemporary methods for project design.
• 1971-1972, a detailed preliminary project (‘conception’) is completed,
consisting of three parts: urban hypothesis for the Sofia agglomeration;
outline project for urban structure; and a communication and
transportation project. The researches in this project have abundant
ideas and radical suggestions, and soon are considered to be too avant-
garde and theoretical.
• In 1972 the state assesses them as ‘unrealistic’, because of the stated
demographic and territorial over-growth, and sends them back for
revising.
1974 - Sofia Central Station rebuilt.
 MODERN DEVELOPMENT OF SOFIA (1945-1989)
FOUR PLANNING STAGES
Fourth planning stage: 1979–1989
• 1975 - package of the three projects: regional territory organisation;
general urban planning, communication and transportation, is revised by
the team of ‘General Planning’ Directorate.
• 1979 - these three projects, set out as General Development Plan of Sofia,
enter into public and professional discussion.
• the development of the urbanisation area is determined to be over 70
sq.miles and a population of 1,200,000 to 1,250,000 people by the year
2000
• 1979 - the project is approved by the metropolitan authorities and the
government , and a draft Act is prepared for its ratification. Before
proposing it in the Parliament, the approval of a draft act by the Political
Bureau of the governing Communist party is needed and never obtained.
• 1980 - the Government decides to begin large-scale housing construction
on vacant terrains: ‘Drujba’ 2, ‘Ovcha Kupel’ 2, ‘Levski’ G, ‘Obelya’ 2,
‘Mladost’ 1A, ‘Malinova dolina’ and ‘Gorublyane’ 2.
• 1985 - the team of ‘General Project’ Directorate makes another draft of the
project without changing the main concept and space composition, but
further steps for its ratification are not taken.
 After 50 years of centralized planning (2002)

Sofia has a spatial development pattern that is quite distinct from that of cities
in market economies, and even from that of other cities in the region.
• showed a mixed pattern of high and low densities at all distances from the
city’s center.
• Industrial areas - dispersed quite near to the Core City and at the same time
large patches of very low-density settlement in close proximity to the center
could be identified.
• The total area used for transport and communications, including the railroads
was 7.8% from the total city area.
• The level of motorization was as high as in the European cities – 406.4 cars
registered within the city boundary per 1 000 population.
• In 2002 there was more than four times as much land allocated for industrial
use as in West European cities. The 26 industrial areas formed 20% of the
total area of the city and their reconstruction capacity varied between 20 and
40%. (Strategy for Development of Sofia)
After 50 years of centralized planning (2002)
HOUSING
• Housing comprised 40.7% of the total area of the compact city. Density of
housing - comparatively high and comparable with the European norms –
172.7 people per ha.
• The norm of housing consumption was 25.2 sq.m per capita , the deficiency of
housing space was 37%.
• Housing sector (even nowadays) - characterized by limited tenure choice, the
municipal housing has been kept at marginal levels, private housing comprises
86%
• 15 housing estates (with more than 10 000 inhabitants each) were planned
and built at the city periphery - about 575 000 inhabitants (47% of the city
population) presently live there. 70% of Sofia’s housing stock
• Nearly half - 47.3% - of the housing stock existing today in Sofia had been built
in 20 years between 1970 and 1990 (NSI, 2012)).
• Shortly before the political changes of 1989 most of the flats had been sold to
the inhabitants; this resulted in today’s ownership structure with up to 97%
privately owned).
Mussmann (1938) Tonev (1945)

Mitov (1949) Neikov (1961)

Source: The Atlas of Sofia
Historical spatial development of Sofia. Source; “Sofia - City for people”
(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cNSchrBMb6bxeQ4zIslrd8J25W7qyctM/view)
Source: The Masterplan of Sofia Municipality, https://sofiaplan.bg/en/index-en/
URBAN REGENERATION
IN BULGARIA

1945 – 1989 – Centralized

planning

▪Large scale outstanding physical

regeneration project, ideology,
▪Fundamental interventions but neglected
social-economic and cultural/identity
issues,
▪Lack of pluralism and no need to consider
complex relationships between actors and
interests,
▪Institutionalized planning process but lack
of vision for long-term management of the
built environment.
URBAN REGENERATION
IN BULGARIA
1989 – 2006 г. – Transition Period
▪Democratic political system and market economy,
▪Privatization, land restitution, economic
restructuring, pre-accession – FDI, real estate
burst
▪deindustrialization and increasing social
differentiation,
▪Changed socio-economic conditions, cultural
context and the physical appearance of cities,
▪Overall policy for territorial development, private
sector-led UR, Beautiful Bulgaria project
URBAN REGENERATION
IN BULGARIA

since 2007 – EU membership

▪ degradation of the existing urban
environment due to complex problems:
inherited from the socialist past, raised
during the Transition
▪ need of a new integrated approach in
pursuit of more sustainable and balanced
urban environment
▪use of EU funding - a major factor for
generating the long needed financial
resources for “’solving” the problems of
urban development: Social infrastructure;
Housing; Organization of Economic Activities;
Improvement of Physical Environment and Risk
Prevention; Sustainable Urban Transport Systems
 TYPES OF UR
PROJECTS IN BG CITIES
after year 2000 (1)

Driving Factors:
• Size of plots/areas
• Finances (experiencing
market failure or market
driven transformations)
• Politically/Event-led
• Participaatory
• Level of intervention
• Type of priorities: improved
mobility, public works, social
aspects, environmental
quality, heritage exposition
and socialization, energy
efficiency
• Globalization/EU/outsourcing
• Deindustrialization
The Industrial building of “Balkancar - 6th of september, 2005,project not implemented,
https://www.capital.bg/biznes/imoti/2008/11/14/582698_zagubeniiat_grad/
 TYPES OF UR PROJECTS IN BG CITIES
after year 2000 (2)

WHERE, WHAT….transformations?
• Ex-military plots / quarters, barracks – Krumovgrad, Sevlievo, Kardjali, Stara
Zagora – parks/public space, public buildings; Sofia - shopping mall, hotels
and administrative buildings, intents for a New Government Quarter
• Regeneration (upgrading of housing quarters) – substituting housing
structures, intensification
• Improving energy efficiency in buildings
• Regeneration led by infrastructure upgrade, construction of new boulevards
and metrolines (Todor Aleksandrov and Lomsko shosse)
• Improved non-motorized mobility and walkability
• Culture-led regeneration (Plovdiv – Kapana, Sofia- квАРТал/ Kvartal)
• Building/rehabilitation of green infrastructure
• Conversion of Industrial buildings, posts (co-working space….)
• Community/NGO –led iniciatives – The spot (10 (12)) cities, Share Yavorov,
Urban Staandard
• Public space renewal and green system regeneration/public works
 • Wet lands (require
detailed planning for the
whole area)
• Land re-
adjustment/requalificatio
n (article 16 Spatial
Development Act
• Roma residential
quarters
• Restrictions for change
land use for public areas
• Greenfield developments
without infrastructure
and public works
• Buffer areas and
sanitary/meliorative
zones
• Resort areas (Bankya)
Source: http://www.sofproect.com/Images/web_maps19112009/55.pdf • Architectural ensembles
 The open markets in the city of Sofia
were the first that experienced

The T transformations soon after 1989.

Then in order to be re-used
temporary as closed markets and
Bazaars, in response to the new
social needs and as an attempt to
compensate for the missing
archetypes, gradually followed the
modernization of the City market
hall, the transformations of out of
date cinemas, the National Palace of
Culture and sport halls. The well-
functioning before 1990 Central
department store and the system of
equally distributed across the city
territory district department stores
lost importance and declined.
At the beginning the limited space of
the main shopping streets brought to
high rents (after mid 1990-s) and
retailers were ready to pay for the
location/presence in the city.
Demand was huge and some of the
shops tried to occupy the second
floor level, but even then the rent
levels were going up. The only large
scale urban renewal programme
dating from this period and that
directly influenced the image of the
inherited shopping streets was the
UNDP funded programme Beautiful
Bulgaria.

The Central Hali – reconstruction and conservation (heritage). Closed for reconstruction in 1988, opened in 2000
 YEAR 2000 AND THE EU PRE-ACCESSION,
HYPERMARKETS, SUPERMARKET CHAINS….

imposed challenges in front of the retailers at the wholesales, local shops and even the flea market. The
traditional street shops for household items and the privatized wholesale shops for construction materials
competed the new chains as Baumax and Bricolage
 INFORMAL ECONOMY, WHOLESALE AND SMALL SIZE
NEIGHBORHOOD (CORNER) SHOPS
REPLACED BY HYPERMARKETS (1990-2000)

After 1990 the Woman’s market expands its territory and number of stalls. Cheap imported goods along with the traditional pottery, local
food, spices, ironmongery, and clothes-imitation of famous brads clothes were sold there. The market keeps its reputation of being the right
place for retail entrepreneurships and escape from poverty and unemployment. Due to the free movement of migrants across borders many
emigrants from the Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and other Near East countries settled in the area and ran diverse shops there.
 WOMANS’ MARKET
Transformations: First Phase,
mid 1990-s
THE WHOLESALE MARKET ILIANTCI
• used to supply the state
department stores and shops
with industrial goods under
centralized planning
• functioned as a regional retail
center during the first decade
after 1990 - the largest market
“on the edge” – between the
cheaper direct sales and the black
market.
• At that time the Iliantci wholesale
market could compete only the
Woman’s market and the Flea
Market, though each one of them
kept its identity and served
different target groups.
• Totally privatized in 2008 (1 %
gov. ownership)
• 15 – 20000 visitors during the
weekends
• 2009 – Fire
• 2017 – dominated by Chinese
goods and traders
The open-air book market at Slaveikov square

The open-air book market at Slaveikov square along with the flea market and
the Woman’s market were recognized by professionals, communities and
citizens as livable public space, functional retail places, and remain iconic
phenomena of the Transition period.
Ex-military plots in Poduyne district converted into a mall, museum and government sdminidtrstion building
 THE MALLS AND THE CITY
(2006-2015)(I)

• Large scale developments of

commercial areas re-introduced
and re-discovered a well-
established archetype outside
Bulgaria
• Add value to the development
of multifunctional space
Sofia ring mall
collecting shopping, services,
attractions, entertainment and
sports under common roof.
• Dominated by multinational
companies, where economic
phenomena cross over to
society and culture and
produce high quality public
space for consumption. The last
was obviously insufficient in
terms of location, quality and
diversity in the post socialist
city of Sofia.
Sofia ring mall, under construction 2008
 THE MALLS AND THE CITY
(2006-2015) (II)
• Location, along with the mix of shops and
management is an important success factor (T. B.
Magazine 2007) that also affects mobility and access
and segregates visitors into have and have nots in
terms of car ownership.
• Location as factor couples with other important
factors as: demographic characteristics of the
population within the catchment area, social status,
level of infrastructure provision, crime, etc.
• The retail along the traditional shopping streets were
strongly affected by the operation of the shopping
malls in terms of depopulation, loss of retail function,
increased turnover of the tenants and loss of identity.
Owners of shops along the main shopping streets
were the first to be affected.
• Pedestrians, once crowded along the shopping
streets, were spread in different locations across the
city thus following the opening of the new shopping
centers that offer diversity, high quality environment
and design, sterile microclimate and clean and
lighted secure public space.
 • Some of the existing markets tried to
rebrand and name themselves “malls” –
e.g. Ilianci Mall
• Other fascinating and livable markets in
the past declined and transformed into
the so called “the hypermarket of the
poor” .
• Due to the segregation and need for
affordable prices of goods, another
phenomenon was observed in the recent
2 years - emergence of shops with big
retail space called “Chinese malls” selling
cheap to affordable products and goods
made in China, Turkey and Bulgaria. They
benefit from good locations in non-
prestigious parts of the city centre or
within the peripheral housing areas,
where the rent levels are low and
residents - low income.

Source: Tasheva-Petrova, M. (2016), “Retail gentrification and urban regeneration of the city of Sofia: Retrospective and perspectives” Working
paper series (iv-4a). International conference Contested Cities, stream 4: gentrification wpcc-164018, ISSN 2341- 2755, http://contested-
cities.net/working-papers/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2016/07/WPCC-164018-TashevaMilena-RetailGentrificationUrbanRegenerationSofia.pdf
 INTEGRATED PLAN FOR
URBAN REGENERATION AND DEVELOPMENT (IPURD)
Т OF THE CITY OF SOFIA 2020: TARGET AREAS
ЛИНЕЙНИ ОБЕКТИ С
ОБЩОГРАДСКО ЗНАЧЕНИЕ:
1 БУЛ. ИЗТОЧНА ТАНГЕНТА

2 БУЛ. ТОДОР КАБЛЕШКОВ

3 БУЛ. ЗАПАДНА ТАНГЕНТА

4 IIIти МЕТРОДИАМЕТЪР

ЗОНА З А Територия
/ха/
Население
/хил./
ВЪЗДЕЙСТВИЕ
СЕВЕРОЗАПАД -
С1 2189 194
ЗАПАД
С2 СЕВЕРОИЗТОК 869 77
И1 ИЗТОК 1168 N/A
И2 СЕВЕР 1225 N/A
О1 ЦЕНТЪР 1623 105
СТУДЕНТСКИ
О2 327 26
ГРАД
Source: https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/Render/765
SPATIAL CONCEPT
PUBLIC ZONE О1 CENTER
GROUPS OF PROJECTS
IN PUBLIC ZONE О1 CENTER

O1-01 Централна гара

O1-02 бул. Мария Луиза и пл. Лъвов мост
O1-03 ул. Пиротска и пазарите
О1-04 Национален дворец на децата
О1-05 Урбанистична ос Възраждане
О1-06 Каре на толерантността
О1-07 Златна София
О1-08 бул. Витоша
О1-09 ул. Граф Игнатиев и ул. Цар Иван Шишман
О1-10 Национален дворец на културата
О1-11 Борисова градина и Зоопарк
О1-12 Южен парк
О1-13 пл. Македония, Руски паметник и бул. Тотлебен
О1-14 Линейни обекти
О1-15 Дисперсни обекти на социалната
инфраструктура
GROUP OF PROJECTS 01-01:
CENTRAL STATION
TOTAL BUDGET DISTRIBUTED AMONG EU OP-S

ОПДУ
ОПИП 625 000
105 954 300 лв. 0,02 %
3,20 %

ОПРР, Regional Development

ОПТ, Transport 1 360 158 159 лв.
1 362 558 093 лв. 41,02 %
41,09 %

JESSICA,
326,979,077 лв.
ОПНОИР, 9,86 %
Economic Development
54 765 961 лв.
1,66 %
ОПРЧР ОПОС Environment
Human Resource and nature conservation
Development 98 084 609 лв.
6 532 933 лв. 2,96 %
0,20 %
PRINCIPLES AND CRITERIA MAIN PRINCIPLES
OF TEAM WORK
❑ General Principles
• Concentration • Integration of resources
• Integration • Team building and consensus
• Coordination approach
❑ Criteria for projects selection • GIS based analysis and illustrations
• Eligibility • Transparency and publicity
• Prepared projects and feasibility studies • Communication of knowledge
• Social support and significance • Risk management
• Synergy • Management changes
 IPURD of Sofia (in Bulgarian):
https://www.sofia-agk.com/Pages/Render/771
https://www.sofia-agk.com/FileBrowser/File?path=esoft.portal%5Cipgvr%5Cfinal%5CPRILOJENIE%201-OKONCHATELEN%20PROEKT.pdf
 • https://www.capital.bg/politika_i_ikonomika/bulgaria/2013/10/1
IMPLEMENTATION 0/2158496_proektirai_centura_na_sofiia/
• http://www.kab-sofia.bg/novini/konkursi/2604-konkurs-za-
OF IPURD OF SOFIA: predinvestitzionno-obemno-ustroistveno-prouchvane-na-tzgch
• http://www.kab-sofia.bg/novini/konkursi/2787-predstavenite-
FOLLOW UP AND COMMENTS proekti-v-konkursa-za-tzgch-na-sofiya
• Results: https://www.sofia-agk.com/Pages/Render/807
IMPLEMENTATION
OF IPURD OF SOFIA:
FOLLOW UP AND COMMENTS

Competition project for Slaveikov square:

book market removed
SPATIAL DIMENSIONS OF
RETAIL RESTRUCTURING:
CHALLENGES AND
PERSPECTIVES

Retail development, urban

development and impact on city
structure and functions
• Agglomeration effects and economies
of scale.
• High potential of malls to generate
congestions due to the invasion into
already built up urban tissue and
infrastructure. Difficult pedestrian
access
• The recently finished (2014) renewal of
the open air market “Jenski Pazar”
which provides high quality design,
increased share of the public space and
second level for retailers.
• Development of shopping areas in the
old low density wider catchment
residential areas at the periphery
• Conversion of shopping areas/streets
into food areas and emerging creative
industries cluster.
Reconstruction of Vitosha blvd.
Vitoshka blvd.
WOMANS’ MARKET
Transformations
WOMANS’ MARKET
Benefits for the public?
Spatial dimensions of retail restructuring, evolution and gentrification:
challenges and perspectives

Retail, infrastructure development and gentrification

• The construction of the metro diameters and the market forces driving
development towards the transit-oriented development.
• Changing modes of consumption/buying influenced by ICT development
and e-commerce. Scenario: Malls transformed into fitting-rooms visited by
brand admirers and fans of indoor public space with food courts.
Spatial dimensions of retail restructuring, evolution and gentrification:
challenges and perspectives
Retail property market, urban planning and urban governance
• Unequal spatial distribution but reached saturation of the market. Experts from real
estate companies assert that the retail map is already occupied and no significant new
projects are expected on the Bulgarian retail market in the next 5 years. Forthcoming renewal
of the first generation of Malls is expected after the ownership change. (Genev, 2015)
• Supporting groups of projects with public money, financed under the Plan for
Intgrated urban regeneration and development. The groups of projects are expected to act as
magnets and impulse drivers for the development of the west part of the city centre,
• Two different but complementing each other surveys conducted by the private and
the public sector show the need of integrated approach in balancing the policies serving the
global/international retail players and real estate intermediaries and defending the public
interest
Spatial dimensions of retail restructuring, evolution and gentrification:
challenges and perspectives
Grass root movements for a just city
• The festival “Sofia breathes” started as an initiative (until 2014) and worked
in support of Sofia’s application for 2019 Cultural capital. Small family companies
promote and sell bio products thus influencing the change in attitudes towards
nature and revived production technologies and tools.
• The successfully functioning in the first 10 years of the Transition, the
warehouse Zimnitza (not far from Stochna gara), has been gradually transformed by
young activists into Zona Cultura.
• Farmers markets network Hrankop and open farmers markets once a week
are regularly held at the municipal markets as follows: Ivan Vazov (on Wednesdays),
Mladost (on Fridays), Rimska stena (on Saturdays) as part of the initiative to organize
and promote short food provision chains in big cities. (Hrancop, 2016)
The future of the District Department store Denitca,
Mladost resid. Area.
http://citybuild.bg/news/podpisaha-dogovora-izgrazhdane/28380
 Фермерски пазар в мола, 2016 „София диша”, Pirotska str. 2015

Коледен фермерси пазар на ул. Оборище, София, 2015

„София диша”, Angel Kanchev str. 2015

 The wholesale Zimnitca

Lions’ Bridge
Stochna Gara

The ex-refrigerator factory,

Stochna gara, 2016
 Informal rest/coworking space Gallery
The wholesale Zimnitca, Stochna gara, for sale since 1998

Creative workshop
Indoor skate park, climbing

Workshop, art from scrap Repetitions, music


GOVERNMENT CITY COMPETITION:
SIXTH KM ALONG
TSARIGRADSKO CHAUSSEE, 2008
Competition assignment:
A programme that required the design of
government centre, offices, hotels, housing,
sport facilities, educational buildings, expo
centre, parking space
total area of 26.4ha
with a gross built up area exceeding 500 000 sq
m. Public service and Government
administration to be allotted 120 000 sq m of
this area.
The Government’s declared aim is to transform
this part of Sofia into a "secondary city centre
revolving around a modern multi-functional
government complex".
The Cabinet has allocated 3.2 million leva
Among the participants in the international
competition were:
„Dominique Perrault architects”,
“Foster & Partners”,
“Zaha Hadid Limited”,
“Fucas Assochatti”
and the Bulgarian conglomerate G-3 and the
consortium Adais Project“
6th km
The competition site, 2008
Perrault - the winning architect in the project. Award - one million euro
The remaining five companies have each being awarded 100 000 euro
Dominique Perrault architects, first prize
http://www.perraultarchitecture.com/en/projects/2544-sofia_city_center.html
Follow up/interviews: https://youtu.be/OZehWRNtIhE
https://www.capital.bg/biznes/imoti/2009/09/11/783194_dominik_pero_ikonomicheskite_krizi_stimulirat/
http://www.amc-aspects.com/bg/interviews/212-arch-for-the-sake-of-art-is-not-enough.html
The project (video):
http://www.amc-aspects.com/bg/projectsbulgaria/150-secondary-center-of-sofia.html
Norman Foster & Partners
Second prize
Norman Foster & Partners
Zaha Hadid Limited, third prize
Проектът на консорциум АДАИС — по-сериозният от
българските участници (photo: arhitektura.bg)
2008 2016
Конкурс за мост
квАРТал/ KVARTAL (SINCE 2016)
https://www.kultura.bg/article/179-kvartal-za-vsichki
 ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION
TRANSFORMATION OF THE FORMER HEATING STATION
OF THE NATIONAL PALACE OF CULTURE INTO ART CENTRE
Info about the competition and the awarded projects: https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/Render/1031
3 000 000 leva.
investment
4 895 sq.m.
plot
150 000 leva.
design
 I - арх. А. Колев, арх. М. Сърбова, София

конкурс за трансформирането на бившата

топлоцентрала на НДК в арт център

II - ПОВ (POV), София

III - Nomo Studio Architects S.C.P., Барселона, Испания

Deadline: end of may 2018
International competition
organized by Vizar Foundation
11 projects submitted
https://gradat.bg/news/2018/04/04/3158252_startira_konkurs_za_vtorichen_grad
ski_centur_zona/
http://vizar-awards.com/index.php/bg/2018/2018-02-05-11-38-11
The submitted projects are accessible here:
https://nag.sofia.bg/FileBrowser/File?path=esoft.portal%2Fvrorichen%20gradski%2
0centar%20%2FVtorichen%20gradski%20tsentar.pdf
The Gehl Report
English version available at:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cNSchrBMb6bxe
Q4zIslrd8J25W7qyctM/view

Preparation of a long-term vision

for the development of Sofia as a
green city. Support for creation of
green, quality public spaces and
the preservation of the cultural-
historical image of Sofia

Sofia joined the elite company of New

York, London, Moscow and dozens of
cities all over the world in terms of
having sought the services of Jan
Gehl Architects.

Jan Gehl:
• detailed research on city life and
good public spaces;
• started from Copenhagen – one of
the longest pedestrian zones and
regularly ranks at the top of quality
of life surveys
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPTUAL
ARCHITECTURAL AND CULTURAL
PROJECT FOR SVETA NEDELYA SQUARE
open competition for the restoration,
renovation and construction of Sveta
Nedelya Square and its adjacent public
spaces, aiming to create a network of public
spaces while preserving their identity.
Design brief – international competition
(in Bulgarian):
https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/Render/813
 • 14 design offices
applied for the first
stage (06.2019) – 6
BG, 8 international
(Italy, Romania,
France, Turkey)
• Second stage –
selection of 7 finalists

Пространствени обхвати за нивата на конкурсното решение

DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONCEPTUAL
ARCHITECTURAL AND CULTURAL PROJECT FOR
SVETA NEDELYA SQUARE

First prize, Fuksas Studio video: Second prize: AI Architects LLD,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFCd1GNEygM CLAB Architettura

Results – the awarded projects :

https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/Render/1033
 Site of the competition:
https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/Render/1208
COMPETITION FOR IDEAS
PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE LINKING TWO PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN PARK
(OVER BIALA CHERKVA STREET), 2022

First prize: Prague- and London-based firm Boele Architects joined forces with Buro Happold‘s Berlin
office
PEDESTRIAN OVERPASSES
OVER THE SOUTH RING
Link to the project:
https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/Render/1032
THE SPOT PROJECT
more info (in Bulgarian):
http://thespot.bgbeactive.org/
GREEN LINE PROJECT
Source: https://www.greenlinesofia.com/
https://www.greenlinesofia.com/_files/ugd/fa0943_b58012951
9514caf959bd6627ced1525.pdf
NEW GREENWAYS FOR OLD RAILWAYS
https://gradoscope.com/en/newgreenwaysforoldrailways-en/
https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/SinglePublication/3Cb8b3XdzN8%3d
GREEN HEALTHY CORRIDOR
IN NADEZHDA DISTRICT, HORIZON 2020 PROJECT

Sources for further info:

https://urbinat.eu/
https://sofiaplan.bg/2020/06/09/urb
inat/
https://nag.sofia.bg/RegisterChiefArc
hitectReports/Info?url=7WSTD2y_h
m4=
http://www.so-nadejda.com-urbinat
INSTEAD OF CONCLUSION

• Diverse contemporary examples for urban regeneration

practices that are worth understanding, reflecting upon and
analyzing are already available in Bulgaria
• Strategies for urban regeneration are place and context
specific,
• A strong political support is needed
• Money is a means but not an end (or reason)
• Expert capacity is still under accumulation
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
• Dainov, E. at al, “ACRE report [No.] The Sofia City-Region Development Path and Current Situation.pdf, in Accommodating Creative Knowledge – Competitiveness
of European Metropolitan Regions within the Enlarged Union” Amsterdam, 2006; AMIDSt, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam

• http://vizar-awards.com/index.php/bg/2018/2018-02-05-11-38-11

• Sofia Municipality, department for Architecture and Urban Planning, https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/Render/1004

• The Spot Project, http://thespot.bgbeactive.org/

• The Gehl Report, Sofia, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cNSchrBMb6bxeQ4zIslrd8J25W7qyctM/view

• https://gradat.bg/news/2018/04/04/3158252_startira_konkurs_za_vtorichen_gradski_centur_zona/

• Димова, Л., КвАРТал за всички, Култура / Брой 4 (2957), Април 2019https://www.capital.bg/biznes/, https://www.kultura.bg/article/179-kvartal-za-vsichki

• Government City Competition, Sources: : imoti/2009/09/11/783194_dominik_pero_ikonomicheskite_krizi_stimulirat/

• http://www.amc-aspects.com/bg/interviews/212-arch-for-the-sake-of-art-is-not-enough.html; The project (video): http://www.amc-

aspects.com/bg/projectsbulgaria/150-secondary-center-of-sofia.html

• Information about Park Vazrajdane, http://citybuild.bg/news/podpisaha-dogovora-izgrazhdane/28380

• The Industrial building of “Balkancar - 6th of september, 2005,project not implemented, https://www.capital.bg/biznes/imoti/2008/11/14/582698_zagubeniiat_grad/

• http://www.ulpiaserdica.com/index_en.html

• Tasheva-Petrova, M., E. Dimitrova, A. Burov, Mutafchiiska, I. (2021), ‘Re-claiming space for public life: Messages from the north-west periphery of Sofia’, Urbani
izziv, volume 32, supplement, December 2021: 91-105, DOI: 10.5379/urbani-izziv-en-2021-32-supplement-6 ;
https://urbaniizziv.uirs.si/Summary_s?id=82&id_k=s&idc=7

• Tasheva-Petrova, M. (2016), “Retail gentrification and urban regeneration of the city of Sofia: Retrospective and perspectives”, Working paper series (iv-4a).
International conference Contested Cities, stream 4: gentrification wpcc-164018, ISSN 2341- 2755, http://contested-cities.net/working-papers/2016/retail-
gentrification-and-urban-regeneration-of-the-city-of-sofia-retrospective-and-perspectives/

• Tasheva - Petrova, M. , “Temporary Use – A tool for modern urban development“, Engineering Sciences, issue 2/2013 г., Institute of Metal Science, equipment, and
technologies “Acad. A. Balevski” – Bulgarian Academy of Science, in Bulgarian,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309911556_VREMENNO_IZPOLZVANE_NA_IMOTI_TERENI_I_SGRADI_-_INSTRUMENT_ZA_GRADSKO_RAZVITIE

• https://www.greenlinesofia.com/_files/ugd/fa0943_b580129519514caf959bd6627ced1525.pdf
• Sofia XXI (2013) Integrated plan for Urban Regeneration and Development of Sofia, https://nag.sofia.bg/Pages/Render/765