Architecture students at VFU win first prize in the national stage of an international competition
Students majoring in Architecture at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” won first prize in the final national stage of the 10th jubilee international competition “IZOVER – Multi-Comfort House”.
The final national stage of the 10th jubilee international competition for students in Architecture “IZOVER – Multi-Comfort House”, held under the theme “School of Tomorrow” has come to an end. Participants in the ideas and knowledge competition included students from three higher education institutions in Bulgaria – Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”, the University of Structural Engineering and Architecture "Lyuben Karavelov", Sofia and the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia. The finals were held on 23rd April 2014, in Novotel Hotel, Sofia.
The first edition of the competition was held in Bansko in 2005. The last edition enjoyed great interest, with over 1500 registered participants from over 100 universities. The forum gives the participants the opportunity to outline and develop their ideas on sustainable architecture, energy efficiency, passive buildings and comfort, and to exchange experience with their colleagues from over 20 countries during the international finals.
The competition topics reflect the present-day topical issues in architecture worldwide – development of concepts for hotels, one-family houses, schools, office buildings, skyscrapers, revitalization of abandoned city areas and transformation of industrial areas into residential zones, in order to reach the present-day vision of the School of Tomorrow – an architectural and human challenge which aims to initiate a change in children’s mindset, in harmony with nature. The complexity of the task is enhanced by the need for research into climatic and cultural aspects on the one hand – the project terrain is located within the limits of the “ecological” town which is to be built in the city of Gaziantep, Turkey – and on the other, into the “Izover – multi-comfort house” concept, based on the principles of “passive” construction and the provision of optimal living comfort.
Members of the competition jury included Prof. Boryana Genova, PhD, Arch. – lecturer at the Department of Residential Buildings at the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia, Arch. Georgi Nikolov – certified designer of passive buildings, Chair of the Management Board of Passive Buildings Bulgaria and Manager of Studio АРХЕ Sofia, Ms Maria Kuhteva, Manager of Saint Gobain Construction Products Bulgaria, Izover, Arch.Julian Nachev, certified designer of passive buildings, accredited as LEED Green Associate, founder of “Nachev and Partners", Varna, Arch. Zornitsa Petrova, representative of the joint team with Arch. GeorgiGrozdanovandArch. Ivaylo Aleksandrov who won the special prize at the international level of the 2012 edition of the competition.
Prizes were given to three projects, which will represent Bulgaria at the international finals in Bucharest at the end of May, where 22 countries will take place in the competition.
First place was won by a project developed by the fifth-year students Valentina Petrova and Kaloyan Dimov from Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”. They will represent Bulgaria at the international finals. Their project provides a minimalist, compact, functional, well-founded, well-scaled and precise solution, firmly based on the “multi-comfort house” concept.
Second place was won by Polya Dimitrova and Georgi Dobrev, fifth-year students at the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia, and third came Vyara Stoyanova and Lachezar Georgiev, fifth-year students at the University of Structural Engineering and Architecture "Lyuben Karavelov", Sofia.
