Borovets Golden Triangle

Project Description:

Borovets is the oldest Bulgarian mountain resort and the one with the brightest potentials for future development. However, the Golden Triangle - the center of the village and its most precious property – suffers from the informal developments that have been scattered in the forest since the early 1990s and lacks a unified and characteristic identity. We propose a new clear zoning of development on the north-eastern edge of the Triangle that will define and frame the forest, while a set of activities and outdoors uses will make it attractive to the residents and visitors.

The project suggests a new semi-urban center and a meeting point for Borovets, one that combines traditional elements of Bulgarian villages and universal design qualities of contemporary architecture. Most of the proposed buildings are condensed on the paved urban stripe that is located along the northern side of the plot, replacing the existing informal structures and minimizing further elimination of existing trees. To create a more public and sharp urban front towards the street, the majority of the largest buildings containing commercial uses are positioned close to the street. In contrast to the urban front, clusters of eateries, cultural and public uses are located towards the forest, opening up their outdoors activities to the wild nature and profiting from its unique atmosphere.

Inside the urban stripe and enhanced by the rotation of the buildings, a network of small paved streets and plazas unfolds, offering visitors opportunities to wander, meet and organize encounters or events in the heart of the community. Therefore, the proposed village scheme contains urban qualities, while it smoothly merges with the forest through the organic network of secondary intersecting paths that connect the scattered pavilions with the activities. As a result, a new identity of Borovets emerges, one of a modern - yet picturesque – mountainous resort that can offer to visitor both unique experiences and a functional and iconic physical space to inhabit and enjoy. Most importantly, however, the scheme proves that the village and the forest can coexist and blend smoothly within the Golden Triangle – yet the limits between nature and urbanization are set clearly, as for the future generations to inherit a well-structured development plan.

Having one of the largest surviving forest area in the region, the proposal includes the preservation of most of the existing trees inside the Golden Triangle. The largest portion, of the trees removed, are those that where in bad condition, placing the proposed volumes in a way not to damage the existing vegetation. The enrichment of the existing landscape is calculated to complete and define the main forest area as a viable, user- friendly park environment. The landscape is arranged, respectful of the present vegetation, with pathways unfolding around the trees connecting major points in and outside the Triangle. The proposed outdoor's activities include sports, cultural & social facilities, framing a mixed-use content around the forest and aspiring to a diverse operation of the park, both as a recreational territory and as a meeting point where visitors can interact with and appreciate the natural landscape.

In an effort to preserve the human scale, the proposed volumes remain at maximum four (4) levels of height. The height difference between the edges of the Triangle is here used as a design principle, maintaining an almost straight skyline of the roofs in the road connecting Hotel Rila with the initial Cabin Ropeway. Reaching the forest area, the height of the volumes diminishes, so that the users can walk the designed pathways and discover buildings of different qualities and uses. The only structure that stands out is the proposed observatory tower, reaching the height of 24m. The wooden tower is designed following traditional construction methods of the broader region, as for example the Madan of Samokov. Ascending to the top level, the user has the chance to contemplate on the surrounding environment of Borovets and observe the natural landscape of the region.

The proposal suggests the reinforcement of the northern urban front connecting hotel Rila with the initial Cabin Ropeway. Setting a strong circulation-and-use zone in that area, allows for a more natural and undisturbed development of the forest area in its existing position. The total footprint on the given plot remains at around 17%, to ensure an aesthetically pleasing relation between the forest and the Build-up area. With the exception of the Multifunctional Hall, the proposed 24 volumes maintain a small footprint, allowing for secondary paths between them to unravel, creating a “village within a village”, in an effort to boost the central identity of the Golden Triangle.

The final height of the volumes is composed so that the relation between size and height is as close to the human scale as possible, in correlation with each program. Internally, most of the uses gather at the ground level, allowing the creation of open spaces and inner balconies that have visual connection with each other. Taking into consideration the all-year-round operation of the resort, the possibility of an outdoor expansion of each building is considered, with a range of semi-public open spaces attributed to each volume.

In terms of program and activities, a diverse type of uses is proposed to emphasize the maintenance of the previous uses, but also proposing new needed functions for the wider region. Most of the proposed buildings can accommodate different types of commercial and eating establishments with small spatial adjustments in the inside of the volumes. The northern urban front gathers the commercial and more public-use buildings while highlighting the identity of Borovets and its qualities. The eating facilities and administration buildings are appearing in the background towards the forest, almost hidden from the main street, recreating a secondary circulation road of a more natural flow. Following this pathway between the volumes, public spaces are designed, of different size and use, with the main plaza placed at a crossroad, surrounded by the Multifunctional Hall, Info center and few commercial use buildings, in order to recreate a central gathering point for the visitors and locals.

At any given position within the scheme there is visual connection to the park with different paths leading to and from the forest. The forest passages connect both the edges of the given area and different facilities, which blend with the scenery in an effort for internal rejuvenation of the Golden Triangle.

The initial phase of the construction includes the volumes framing the urban front, emphasizing on the re-installment of previous uses, for the easiest-possible transition to the new proposed plan. Working from the edge of the plot towards the centre while keeping the front to the West open, allows for a smoother forestation process. The enrichment of the cultural and public life of Borovets, is of outmost importance for this project’s proposal. The establishment of open-spaces is followed by a number of Cultural-mixed used buildings, aiming to inform, educate and entertain both visitors and locals.

Recognizing that a practical parking solution is of major importance to the smooth operation of the resort, an underground parking is proposed with capacity to fit 180 vehicles, with exits at both edges of the plan. To facilitate the operation of the surrounding facilities, a small number (23) of outdoor parking spaces is proposed for short-term daily use on the West & South-East end of the Triangle.

The total budget of the proposed investment is 60mln BGN, divided in 60% for the 1st phase and 40% for the 2nd phase of the overall development. In the 1st phase of the development, a larger part of the budget reserved for the urban planning will be used for the demolition of the existing informal structures and the construction of an underground parking facility of 5.745m2 (180 parking spots), on the northern side of the Triangle. A total amount of 36mln BGN will be used on the 1st phase to develop the urban part of the proposal, and an amount of 24mln BGN will be used for the 2nd phase, which includes the construction of the buildings and pavilions located in the forest, as well as the paths, landscape, playground and sport facilities proposed.

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