SHARE Architects has been awarded by the Bulgarian Chamber of Architects for its work for the Bulgarian architectural community over the past 6 years.
Since 2018, we have proudly collaborated with the Bulgarian Chamber of Architects to organize the Bulgaria Architecture Awards (BAA). It was a privilege for us to have prominent figures in European architecture on the jury committees.
“Karin Dom” in Varna and Central Mineral Bath “Bankya ” received the major awards in the fourth edition of the competition “Bulgarian Architectural Awards 2022”, organized by the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria (CAB).
The ceremony was held on October 11, 2022, at the Hyatt Regency Sofia hotel, under the auspices of Ivan Shishkov, Minister of Regional Development and Public Works. The event marked the culmination of the celebrations honoring KAB’s 85th anniversary of establishment. The projects awarded in the competition are traditionally nominated for the prestigious “Miss van der Rohe” European awards for contemporary architecture.
The fourth edition of the Bulgarian Architecture Awards competition included nearly 40 projects. They were divided into two categories: 22 conventional projects and 17 for cultural and historical preservation.
Minister Shishkov presented the Grand Prize in the category for new construction to Unas Studio – authors of the project for “Karin Dom”. The building is the result of an international competition held at the end of 2019. The objective was to create a center in Varna for the social rehabilitation and integration of children with special needs and their families. “Karin Dom” is a space with a completely accessible environment that corresponds to children’s perceptions and makes them feel more comfortable.
Within the framework of the competition, a significant award for heritage conservation was granted for the first time. The Georgiev Design Studio’s project for the restoration of the Central Mineral Bath “Bankya” was awarded the prize. The award was given by Petar Petrov, director of the National Institute of Architecture and Natural Heritage, and Zdravko Zdravkov, chief architect of the Sofia Municipality. Built between 1907 and 1911, the bathroom was recognized as an immovable cultural property.
Bulgaria Architecture Awards is the most significant professional and non-commercial architectural competition in Bulgaria, encouraging excellent practices and high-quality architectural works. The competition’s distinguishing characteristic is the unbiased international jury of architects with notable projects and achievements in their portfolio. Rex Bombardelli, director of the French architecture studio 2Portzamparc, which develops landmark buildings and urban landscapes across the world, presided this year’s jury.
