Nina D Toleva-Nowak

The research focuses on “Trakiya”, a plattenbau residential neighborhood, constructed between the late 1970s and early 1980s. Built for predominantly young families, today it houses more than 60 000 people. The aim of this paper is to explore the activity in the area in terms of in-volvement of the residents in civic causes and initiatives, their interrelations with the local Munici-pal administration, and to provide an in-depth look at the local civic practices of the inhabitants. The gathered information is part of a large-scale interdisciplinary study, including field surveys, quasi-representative sociological survey of 477 respondents, meetings with residents and repre-sentatives of the local Municipality. As results, the main issues in the civic microclimate in the neighborhood are derived and conclusions are drawn about the potential for civil engagement in the process of urban and socio-cultural development (based on meetings with the local citizens, the produced statistical data, and map materials).

This paper focuses on two contemporary architectural and urban movements -Schumacher's Parametric Design and Watanabe's Induction Design. Both the Parametric and the Induction design are in tight relation with the currently active Complexity paradigm and self-organization concepts, and are distinctive for their intense use of specific morphogenic software. Thus, they themselves serve as powerful instruments in the process of creation of the new millennium urban Utopias. Induction Design acts as an extension of the brain and gives precise solutions (entirely based on specific assessments and calculations) to numerous complex architectural, urban and environmental problems. Parametric Design, on the other hand, could be described as an extension of the hand and its primary task is to organize and to articulate the increased complexity of the modern society by setting strict rules for morphogenesis. As both trends operate on all levels, from interior design to urban planning,...

This paper focuses on two contemporary architectural and urban movements – Schumacher’s Parametric Design and Watanabe’s Induction Design. Both the Parametric and the Induction design are in tight relation with the currently active Complexity paradigm and self-organization concepts, and are distinctive for their intense use of specific morphogenic software. Thus, they themselves serve as powerful instruments in the process of creation of the new millennium urban Utopias. Induction Design acts as an extension of the brain and gives precise solutions (entirely based on specific assessments and calculations) to numerous complex architectural, urban and environmental problems. Parametric Design, on the other hand, could be described as an extension of the hand and its primary task is to organize and to articulate the increased complexity of the modern society by setting strict rules for morphogenesis. As both trends operate on all levels, from interior design to urban planning, we canno...

The current paper is part of the developed instrument for urban analysis. The author explores the urban dynamics based on urban cores activity and traces it via questionnaire among more than 170 people from Bulgaria and Japan. As a result, the rings of attraction for various types of urban cores are observed, and the societal attitudes and the subconscious use of the city. On the other hand, the reasons for avoidance of particular parts of the city are also discussed. The model for analysis may serve not just for development of short and long-term urban strategies, but also for a variety of social, ethnological and economical researches.

This paper focuses on the urban morphology, the urban flows dynamics and the transformation of urban elements, and on the changes in the city fabric. The research is part of a developing instrument for urban analysis, based on interference of urban cores. The author gives new definition of urban canvas, explores its role as a factor for emergence of various urban cores, and establishes several types of cores shaped by different main factors. One type is related to the temporal characteristics of the cores, by which they could be described as stable (or static), pulsating, and migrating. Another factor, characterizing another type of cores, is the influence the urban cores spread. By this factor, the author considers the cores could be described as positive, neutral or negative. The study relates to the urban characteristics and principles, and their interrelations with the urban cores and canvas. The cities and their elements are constantly transforming and evolving, so as a result the author proposes an outline of a model based on the cores characteristics, their influence and transformations, refracted through the concepts of complexity, filed and networks theories and their mutual entanglement. The analysis would prove useful in achieving better understanding on the urban flows, evolution, and overall contemporary urban dynamics, and in the process of creation of new long-term urban planning strategies

The preservation of cultural heritage has a long history and a vast theoretical background. Yet its current issues are more challenging and some of its contemporary approaches-more controversial. The biggest risk factors for the tangible heritage are war-related destruction, damage done by the intensified cultural tourism, demolition and inadequate treatment due to urban sprawl and infrastructural development, owners' reluctance to take proper and sufficient care for the monuments due to heavy administrative procedures, inconsistent laws and regulations coupled with high costs for maintenance and renovation. These problems have a common denominator-the inability of the public and the stakeholders to recognize the importance of the tangible heritage as an external common memory, as a valuable testimony and material proof for past events. By analysing the current issues and the top-down nature of the legislation (both national and international) and the fact that most of the preservation actors and procedures are highly institutionalised, we believe this inability is rooted in the lack of available and sufficient public information about monuments under threat, especially those of local importance. Thus we propose an innovative communication-based bottom-up preservation approach which would popularise architectural heritage with the methods of public relations and the tools of crisis communication. By addressing issues on the professional and nonprofessional level, by small personal interventions, by visualising the loss of the heritage fabric on local and national level we strive for raising an open and honest discussion about the future of built heritage as an irreplaceable bearer of information. We aim to raise awareness of the importance of everyday preservation, to educate a broader and more informed audience, to foster a higher sensitivity towards public memory issues, in order to pass our history and our memories to future generations.

“Trakiya” is a plattenbau residential neighborhood, originally constructed between the late 1970s and early 1980s, in order to provide housing for predominantly young families moving into the city. At present, one sixth of the Plovdiv population lives in this area, with two of the twenty-five community centers in the city centered around it, wile more than 100 cultural events are organized each year. The aim of this paper is to explore the cultural microclimate in the area, and provide an in depth look at the cultural practices of its inhabitants. The information gathered is part of a comprehensive interdisciplinary study, with field studies, a quasi-representative sociological survey of 477 people, meetings with residents of the area and the regional administration. As a result, the main problems in the cultural microclimate in the Trakia region are derived and conclusions are drawn about the potential for cultural development of the region, based on the produced statistical data and map materials.

The research focuses on “Trakiya”, a plattenbau residential neighborhood, constructed between the late 1970s and early 1980s. Built for predominantly young families, today it houses more than 60 000 people. The aim of this paper is to explore the activity in the area in terms of in-volvement of the residents in civic causes and initiatives, their interrelations with the local Munici-pal administration, and to provide an in-depth look at the local civic practices of the inhabitants. The gathered information is part of a large-scale interdisciplinary study, including field surveys, quasi-representative sociological survey of 477 respondents, meetings with residents and repre-sentatives of the local Municipality. As results, the main issues in the civic microclimate in the neighborhood are derived and conclusions are drawn about the potential for civil engagement in the process of urban and socio-cultural development (based on meetings with the local citizens, the produced statistical data, and map materials).

Yeni Hammam is a monument of culture of local importance. With its rich four-centuries-long history, along with Chifte Hammam, it is one of the last information-bearers of the ottoman bath culture in Plovdiv. After a devastating fire in 2016, the building has been abandoned and heavily deteriorated. The fire revealed several layers of plaster and previously unknown decorations. The author explores the building in the context of the history of the ottoman baths in Plovdiv and traces the evolution of the function and the spatio-temporal interrelationships of the edifice and its immediate surroundings. The building is examined both in a local, national and international context referring not only to the eastern ottoman bath tradition and construction, but also to the western decorative practices.

“Trakiya” is a typical plattenbau residential neighbourhood, planned and executed during the 1970s and 1980s. Built in accordance with the modernist urban planning principles and the social engineering approach, nowadays it houses more than 60 000 people. During the past 25 years it has undergone a major transformation from an avoided notorious districts into one of the most preferred neighbourhoods to live in, attractive with its vast green spaces, good transport, health and social infrastructure and pleasant urban microclimate.
The aim of the paper is to explore this transformation into district preferred for raising children, and to provide an in-depth look at the interrelations of the developed medical infrastructure, local socio-cultural practices of its inhabitants and the way of creating healthy and vivid urban environment.
The information was gathered as a part of a large-scale interdisciplinary study, conducted from February until October 2016 for One Architecture Week festival. The author has developed a special research methodology. It included field surveys, desk research, quasi-representative sociological survey of 477 people, meetings with residents of the neighbourhood and representatives of the local Municipal administration, maps and schemes production. Among the studied more than 40 urban environment elements and sub-systems were the green spaces, sports facilities, medical infrastructure, social practices and demographic profile, schools and kindergartens, etc.
The results showed that the local communities are the key-players in turning the notorious area into vivid and healthy district. Today Trakiya is attractive for young families to raise their children for its numerous of medical and social services, multiple kindergartens, schools, playgrounds, parks, and open-airs sports facilities. Among the drawn conclusions are the strong and weak sides, the threads and the potential for developing sustainable community and healthy urban environment, and the potential to address global issues by good local examples.

The current paper is part of the research project “Urban Agriculture as a strategy for improving the quality of life of urban communities” funded by the National Science Fund. The author explores the evolution of the morphology of the urban yard in the context of the changed socio-cultural and economic conditions during the Bulgarian Revival and the separation of the urban way of life as conceptually different. A comparison based on the spatial and functional characteristics of the urban revival yards in Kotel, Karlovo, Koprivshtitsa and Plovdiv were made within the framework of the various aspects of urban agriculture practices. As a result, the domestic yard during the Revival may be perceived as a prototype of the urban agriculture practices in Bulgaria. It signifies the social status and reflects the new lifestyle and need for better quality of life not just for the individual household, but on a larger urban scale.