ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS AWARDED FOR THEIR EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE AT THE COMPETITION ORGANISED BY VFU "CHERNORIZTETS HRABAR" TO DESIGN “CHAIKA” DORMITORY AND HOUSING COMPLEX

07 June 2024

Project: Trayana Yordanova and Maya Dimitrova

Project: Trayana Yordanova and Maya Dimitrova

The architectural competition to design “Chaika” student dormitory and housing complex, organized by the management of Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”, ended with brilliant presentation of six projects. Fifth-year students majoring in Architecture took part in the competition. They had to design a multi-family housing complex, as well as the public spaces and adjoining buildings. The participants used knowledge acquired in the courses in Residential Buildings, Public Buildings, Interior, Anti-seismic Construction, which gave an excellent opportunity for the young architects to demonstrate their skills and creativity.

The jury awarded the first place to Trayana Yordanova and Maya Dimitrova. Their project divides the property into two parts - with residential and public function. The urban planning solution elegantly breaks the residential space by enveloping the natural environment, creating not only the best possible orientation of the housing units, but also the possibility of a sea view of each apartment with secluded parts. The simple architectural image of the facade mirrors the concept of "frame towards the sea", emphasizing the strong connection with the environment and creating a feeling of lightness, tranquility and harmony. The suggestion of the students to place the public spaces on the main street allows easy access and convenient logistics. The students received a prize of BGN 5,000 for their impressive teamwork. The second place was awarded to Nadezhda Zafirova for her individual presentation, awarded BGN 3,000. The third place went to Vanessa Rosenova and Deborah Todorova, who received a prize of BGN 2,000. All participants in the competition presented themselves with exceptional creativity and professionalism, for which they received incentives cash prizes from the president of VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar", Assoc. Prof. Dr. Krasimir Nedyalkov.

The projects were rated by a jury chaired by the president of Varna Free University and members: Yani Yanev - vice president, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arch. Plamen Petrov - Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Dariya Mihaleva - Head of the Construction of Buildings and Facilities Department at the Faculty of Architecture and the lecturers - Prof. D.Sc. arch. Alexander Slaev, Dr. Arch. Radost Raynovska, Chief Assist. Prof. Dr. arch. Hristo Topchiev, as well as visiting Assist. Prof. arch. Nikolay Rachinsky - lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture and chairman of The Chamber of Architects In Bulgaria (CAB) - Varna, and Denislav Kirov - manager of AB Invest Group Ltd.
The architectural solutions presented by all the participants were rated by the lecturers - members of the committee as part of the knowledge and skills that the students should possess in relation to the courses they study.
The awards to the participants in the competition were presented by order of the president of the university during the graduation ceremony of the graduating class. VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" has a long-term policy of assigning real projects to its students, thus encouraging them to enrich their personal portfolio during their studies. This allows future architects to put their abilities into practice while being exposed to real professional challenges.
The university's policy not only supports students in developing their professional competencies, but also contributes to the acquiring of innovative and sustainable architectural solutions that enrich the urban environment. The unique university park was also created following a student project in 2012 and is a proof of the successful initiatives of the management of VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar".
The brilliant finale of the competition highlights the commitment of VFU "Chernorizets Hrabar" to the development of young talents and establishes a platform for students to showcase their abilities and receive recognition for their work. The competition provided an excellent opportunity for students to create innovative and sustainable architectural solutions, while encouraging their professional and personal development

Trayana Yordanova and Maya Dimitrova

Nadezhda Zafirova

Vanessa Rosenova and Deborah Todorova