The designer of Building 5 in Business Park Sofia Angel Zahariev: The effective communication between architect and developer is essential for the final result

When setting up A & A Architects back in 2005 architects Asen Milev and Angel Zahariev have barely thought that two years later they would receive one of the awards of the National Contest Building of the Year and, moreover, that they will be appreciated by the audience for their work on Building 5, chosen winner after vote on the internet, and Building 8 in Business Park Sofia. These two buildings are their last, besides being most significant, completed developments. However, they have continued with another one, at least as significant project - the Residential Park Sofia’s second stage of development. The developer of the residential complex is the company, which has built the business park - German Lindner Holding. We asked one of the associates at the architectural bureau, arch. Angel Zahariev about the challenges they met while designing the Building of the Year for the Audience for 2007.

Mr. Zahariev, how difficult is it to provide an office building with both efficiency for its users and attractiveness for the visitors and passers-by?
- One of the tasks that architects have to come up against is to achieve an optimum balance of aesthetics, functionality, technological and economic characteristics of a building. Yet, at the same time, we cannot say that one of these features is more important than the others. Reaching that healthy balance is quite difficult. Practice proves this statement, as we have so many examples of interesting buildings that lack functionality and the other way about.

The award that Building 5 received marked the completion of Business Park Sofia. If you could now start the project over again, would you change anything? Who has the last say in decision-making how a building should look like - the developer/investor or the architect?
- Every architectural work is produced in particular place and time. If now, two years later, we decided to undertake the project over again, the result would not have been the same at least because we would have improved our professional skills and the public would have had different expectations. Nevertheless, developed in the way it is, Building 5 has found its proper place and time.
There are several major figures in the development process: developer, architect, contractor and end-user of the building. All they play their individual parts in respect of the end product. If we speak about Building 5 we should point out that the good communication with the developer, the Business Park Sofia company, was based on mutual trust and open relations and most of our concepts have been accepted without reservations.

In your opinion, why are there no landmark office buildings in Bulgaria designed by world-famous architects? Is it a matter of prices or market maturity and the need for a different and more sophisticated product?
- Although Bulgarian real estate market - the office segment in particular - is very dynamic, we still find ourselves at an early stage of development. If we look at the international experience, we will notice that the percentage of the buildings, which received professional recognition, is quite low compared to the total amount of new builds. Only certain types of companies have the interests in investing in innovative and unconventional buildings and at present such companies are not that many in Bulgaria. Property price and location, which are quite essential for a new building to have landmark status, are some of the other issues. And one more thing, it is not a must that landmark buildings should be designed only by world-famous architects. In last years we have seen many new names included in prestigious publications and winning and I hope that Bulgarian architects will soon find their place on the international architectural scene.

Have Bulgarian investors, developers and architects been influenced by the green wave in designing buildings and how has this trend affected developments in Bulgaria?
- Energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy sources, recycled and sustainable building materials have to become major elements of the development of buildings and facilities and it is important that all parties in the process - investors, developers, architects, contractors and end users share such attitude.
Unfortunately, investors in Bulgaria often strive to sell their projects at early stages and have no commitment to the future use of the buildings. On the other hand, the state has to provide greater support in terms of financing and legislation.