location: Sofia, Bulgaria
project: Transformation of the Schoolyard and New Educational & Sports Spaces for the School and the Community at the 138th School ” Prof. Vassil Zlatarski”
The Schoolyard Transformation: From Asphalt to a Community Heart
Our Vision for the 138th School: A Blueprint for Community and Learning
As architects, we believe that schools should be more than just buildings; they should be dynamic ecosystems for learning, growth, and community engagement. When we were tasked with the transformation of the 138th School, our vision was clear: to create an environment that honors its rich history while providing a forward-looking blueprint for the future of education.
Our design process was rooted in a collaborative workshop with students and residents, asking a simple question: "How can this space serve both the school and the neighborhood?" The answer became the guiding principle for our entire architectural concept.
As architects, we believe that schools should be more than just buildings; they should be dynamic ecosystems for learning, growth, and community engagement. When we were tasked with the transformation of the 138th School, our vision was clear: to create an environment that honors its rich history while providing a forward-looking blueprint for the future of education.
Our design process was rooted in a collaborative workshop with students and residents, asking a simple question: "How can this space serve both the school and the neighborhood?" The answer became the guiding principle for our entire architectural concept.
The Design Challenge
Our process began with a deep analysis of the 138th School—an institution with a proud legacy, constrained by its aging infrastructure. We identified a series of critical challenges that our design had to resolve:
- Spatial Deficit: The existing building's capacity forced the school into an inefficient two-shift schedule, limiting educational opportunities.
- A Barren Landscape: The schoolyard was a vast, uninspired asphalt lot—a heat island that offered little in terms of play, nature, or social interaction.
- Insufficient Athletic Facilities: The lack of a modern, multifunctional indoor sports hall restricted physical education and community sports.
- An Insular Campus: The school functioned as a closed-off entity, with its grounds remaining inaccessible to the community after hours.
Our Architectural Solution
Our design is a series of strategic interventions aimed at solving these challenges and unlocking the site's full potential.
Our process began with a deep analysis of the 138th School—an institution with a proud legacy, constrained by its aging infrastructure. We identified a series of critical challenges that our design had to resolve:
- Spatial Deficit: The existing building's capacity forced the school into an inefficient two-shift schedule, limiting educational opportunities.
- A Barren Landscape: The schoolyard was a vast, uninspired asphalt lot—a heat island that offered little in terms of play, nature, or social interaction.
- Insufficient Athletic Facilities: The lack of a modern, multifunctional indoor sports hall restricted physical education and community sports.
- An Insular Campus: The school functioned as a closed-off entity, with its grounds remaining inaccessible to the community after hours.
Our Architectural Solution
Our design is a series of strategic interventions aimed at solving these challenges and unlocking the site's full potential.
The Learning Hub: A New Wing for Modern Pedagogy
Our primary intervention is a new academic wing designed to be the heart of the primary school. This addition is the key to enabling a single-shift schedule.
Our primary intervention is a new academic wing designed to be the heart of the primary school. This addition is the key to enabling a single-shift schedule.
The Atrium: We designed a light-filled, multi-story atrium to act as a central organizing element and social hub—a "living room" for the school that connects all levels and activities.
Adaptive Classrooms: The learning spaces are conceived with modular walls, providing the flexibility to adapt to future teaching methods.
The Rooftop Classroom: We activated the building’s "fifth facade" by transforming the roof into a garden and outdoor classroom, extending the learning environment into nature.
The Wellness Core: A Dynamic Center for Sport
We designed a comprehensive sports and wellness core to serve both students and residents.
- Multifunctional Sports Hall: Our design introduces a versatile indoor hall, engineered to be used as one large court or three smaller, independent ones. Clerestory windows fill the space with natural light, while a climbing wall adds a dynamic element of play.
- Integrated Landscape: The new outdoor football pitch and running track are seamlessly integrated into the landscape, framed by greenery and social seating areas.
We designed a comprehensive sports and wellness core to serve both students and residents.
- Multifunctional Sports Hall: Our design introduces a versatile indoor hall, engineered to be used as one large court or three smaller, independent ones. Clerestory windows fill the space with natural light, while a climbing wall adds a dynamic element of play.
- Integrated Landscape: The new outdoor football pitch and running track are seamlessly integrated into the landscape, framed by greenery and social seating areas.
The Central Park: From Asphalt to Oasis
One of the most dramatic elements of our design is the radical reprogramming of the schoolyard. We saw the asphalt lot as a blank canvas.
One of the most dramatic elements of our design is the radical reprogramming of the schoolyard. We saw the asphalt lot as a blank canvas.
Social Infrastructure: We designed a network of pathways, recreational zones, and an outdoor stage, transforming the yard into the school's primary social space and an amenity for the entire neighborhood.
The Open Campus: Dissolving the Boundaries
A core tenet of our philosophy is that architecture should build community. Our design strategically dissolves the hard boundary between the school and its neighborhood.
A core tenet of our philosophy is that architecture should build community. Our design strategically dissolves the hard boundary between the school and its neighborhood.
Permeable Edges: We introduced dedicated public entrances with controlled access, inviting the community to use the sports facilities after school hours.
A New Civic Asset: By making the grounds accessible, our design transforms the school from a monolithic institution into a vital civic asset—a park, a sports center, and a gathering place for all.
A New Civic Asset: By making the grounds accessible, our design transforms the school from a monolithic institution into a vital civic asset—a park, a sports center, and a gathering place for all.
This project is more than an upgrade; it is a strategic re-envisioning of the role a school can play in its urban context. Through thoughtful design, we have crafted a blueprint for a future where education, wellness, and community life seamlessly intertwine.