What’s the future of urban areas in Sofia dominated by socialist-era prefabricated housing estates? Are Bulgaria’s cities doomed to forever resemble concrete jungles? What will Sofia look like in 10 years’ time? How can housing become more comfortable and pleasing to the beholder?

Sofia Architecture Week, an international event promoting dialogue and exchange of ideas between key players within the world of architecture, addresses these issues and more.

Launched in September 2008 as a two-day event, this year’s conference, which runs from October 30 until November 5, has a varied programme including lectures, exhibitions, discussions and presentations.

Sofia’s chief architect Petar Dikov presides over the event. This year’s curator is Peter Torniov, billed as one of the most important critics and proponents of architectural discourse in Bulgaria today. Torniov believes that the curator’s role is very important. "It’s also extremely interesting, as it should convey to the public an understandable synthesis of an idea, viewpoint and useful information all together," he says.

Packed agenda
The conference offers many highlights. Here is just a sample.
Sofia Architecture Week’s Forum (October 31 and November 1 in the English garden of the Biology Faculty) offers two days of lectures and debates on the theme of Changing Urban Visions.

Guests include some of the leading thinkers in modern European architecture. This year’s opening lecture will be delivered by Walter van Dijk, a founder of NL Architects, Amsterdam, one of the world’s most innovative studios. Panellists include Robert Thiemann, Olivier Bastin, Omer Kanipak, Emmanual Combarel and Julien De Smedt.

Sofia Architecture Week’s Open House (November 2-5; Sklada, 11 Benkovski Str, 3rd Floor) includes lectures and presentations by media, studios and various companies as well as evening discussions on urban planning problems concerning Sofia. Representatives of Sofia municipality as well as architects will take part. There will also be movies and architecture screenings. Entrance is free.

An exhibition entitled Sofia 2020 sees various artists offer their vision of the capital in the coming decade, including specific ideas to transform Sofia into a more beautiful and functional city. Another exhibition captures photographer Nikola Mihov’s photographs of communist-era monuments. Important discussions will also focus on the future of various Sofia neighbourhoods, including areas home to panel blocks on the outskirts of the city.

Meanwhile, don’t miss Pecha Kucha night from 8.20pm on November 5 at the BenchMark Business Center on Tsarigradsko Chaussee.  This year’s evening is dedicated to an exchange of opinions among architects, designers and artists. Entrance 10 leva.

Ongoing displays
Some exhibitions can be seen outside the main event itself. These include Sofia Remixed (Until November 8, in front of the Soviet Army monument) – an open air presentation of collages prepared by 16 young Bulgarian architects and artists, demonstrating ways to transform Sofia into a more environmentally-friendly capital. Entrance free.

Another display entitled Housing models, Reality and Experiment (October 19 – November 8, Sofia City Art Gallery, 1st Floor) is a visiting exhibition from Austria that examines 12 international projects of completed housing developments and their interaction with the residents. (For more details of this exhibition, please see page 16 of this issue of The Sofia Echo.) Entrance free.

Soho Sofia (November 2 – November 30, Sklada, 11 Benkovski Str, 4th Floor) is a display prepared by students from the Technical University of Vienna, who present their ideas for transforming Sofia’s Women’s market into an exciting venue for underground culture and modern urban activities. Entrance free.

For more information on Sofia Architecture Week, please go to http://sofiaarchitectureweek.com/en_program/