design with company: collider activity center in sofia, bulgaria

‘collider activity center’ by design with company, sofia, bulgaria all images courtesy of design with company

aiming to be a canvas for artful occupation, the ‘collider activity center’ in sofia, bulgaria is a scaled-up playground for a wide range of energetic people. the multi-program space by design with company proposes to accommodate visitors of varied and distinct ambitions, from climbers to workers and restaurant-goers to children. using vernacular architectural forms, the project reconfigures local typologies into narrative characters,

thereby rendering the structures abstractions that flirt with the familiar. within the design strategy of characteristic regionalism, pitched roofs begin to look mountainous and simultaneously playful. the buildings encourage fantastical associations with textured skins and brightly colored wraps. zones are created using distinct patterns and materials that allow visitors to climb, nap or start an impromptu dance. the six main buildings consist of an office, spa and fitness area, restaurant, greenhouse, climbing wall and the ever-enticing ‘funtopia.’ underground, a multipurpose hall and parking connect the various buildings for easy car access. a three-quarter kilometer long track encircles the site to collect the zones of activity into a coherent campus. on the south end of the site, the track rises into a wall and creates visual frames for revealing the other world inside. internally, the site is organized in a 30-meter square grid that accommodates the six different buildings with specific collections of programs and additional outdoor activities. the open, flexible complex is a light-hearted space that provokes unplanned and creative activities and provides respite from the repetition of daily life.

street view shows a climbing wall

view from the campus-encircling running track

the proposed ‘greenhouse’ space

the bustling collection of buildings

axonometric of the spa building

site plan

elevation of the whole complex

elevation of the ‘office’ structure

character map

ground plan diagram