The winners in a competition for visual design and functionality of a skyscraper to be built in the Black Sea city of Bourgas were announced on June 22.
With an equal number of votes and in the presence of a notary, the selection commission announced three favourites.
They are Atanas Panov from LP Consult Group (1), Professor Georgi Stoilov from the International Academy for Architecture (2) and Professor M. Tatarini (3), representing two companies - LagOS and Architecture+.
The recognition of the public, however, went to the project by Architectonica Studio with chief architect Dimitar Paskalev and consultant Kalin Dikov. The project is for what has already become popularly known in Bourgas as “the Needle” (4).
The first skyscraper in Bulgaria will be built next to the beach line of Bourgas by local businessman Vaklin Stoinovski’s company Thracian Highrise Estates.
Tests have shown that the Northern Beach of Bourgas is the most suitable for such a high building.
The skyscraper will be built on the place of the popular tavern Vodenitsata (The Mill), which is Stoinovski’s property.
The businessman owns 85 per cent of the future project, while the rest 15 per cent are held by the Bulgarian-American Credit Bank.
The construction works, which had been kept secret for a certain period of time until late last year, are expected to be launched by the end of 2006. According to the financial units of account, the construction of the skyscraper will cost more than 50 million euro.
Part of the building will be used by a still unnamed world famous hotel chain, while the rest will be for offices.
One of the floors is intended for an exhibition hall, another for a museum. Swimming pools, gyms and spa facilities are also envisaged.
The Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria (CAB) has publicly opposed the skyscraper project.
In an open letter sent to Bulgarian-language media in April, the CAB said that the construction of the skyscraper in the Sea Garden of Bourgas, combined with a lack of car parks and adequate infrastructure, as well as a considerably increased flow of visitors, would irreparably damage the area.
