Studio Fuksas celebrate square's ancient history with high-tech future
by Stu Robarts | 05 Dec 2019
Studio Fuksas have won a competition to redevelop Sveta Nedelya Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, with a design that complements a celebration of the square's history with carefully integrated high-tech canopies.
The square covers an area of 34,000sq m (366,000sq ft) and has a 10th-century church, Sveta Nedelya Church, at its centre.
A second-century Roman archaeological site with a tavern, shops and plumbing infrastructure, meanwhile, sits below the square.
Studio Fuksas intend to protect the ruins and cover them with walkable glass so as to showcase them to passersby and visitors to the square.
The remainder of the square will be split into a public park and a paved area, designed to encourage social interaction and connections.
There will be places to sit, while a forest of rose-shaped canopies – recalling the Bulgarian national flower – will provide shade, generate solar power during the day and light the square at night.
The project is scheduled to be break ground in 2021 and be completed in 2023.
Studio Fuksas square Sofia Bulgaria
Archaeological ruins will be covered walkable glass so as to showcase them to passersby and visitors to the square Credit: Studio Fuksas
A forest of rose-shaped canopies will provide shade in the square Credit: Studio Fuksas
The canopies will generate solar power during the day and light the square at night Credit: Studio Fuksas
The 10th-century Sveta Nedelya Church sits at the centre of the square Credit: Studio Fuksas
The square covers an area of 34,000sq m (366,000sq ft) Credit: Studio Fuksas
The project is scheduled to be break ground in 2021 and to be completed in 2023 Credit: Studio Fuksas
Studio Fuksas have won a competition to redevelop Sveta Nedelya Square in Sofia, Bulgaria, with a design that complements a celebration of the square's history with carefully integrated high-tech canopies. The square covers an area of 34,000sq m (366,000sq ft) and has a 10th-century church, Sveta Nedelya Church, at its centre. A second-century Roman archaeological site with a tavern, shops and plumbing infrastructure, meanwhile, sits below the square. Studio Fuksas
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