PLOVDIV,CENTRALSQUAREArchitectural design competition assignment

Pre-investment architectural and landscaping design solution for revitalization and renovation of Central Square in Plovdiv

Initiated by:The Municipality of PlovdivOne Architecture Week

Documentation and competition website produced by:WhAT Association

PLOVDIV

370 000 residents

6 000 years of history

414 кm to Istanbul

382 ha parks

146 кm to Sofia

70 sunny days annually

250 000 tourists per year

30 galleries

282 ha Old Town

15 museums

12 churches

6 hills

5 cinemas

4 кm pedestrian street

3 gay clubs

2 biggest in BG

1 central square

2

Old Town

Maritsa river

Dzhumaya

Mosque

Kapana

Ma

in S

tree

t

(Gla

vn

ata

)

Tsar Simeon's

Garden

Raiway Station

3

St Peter’s SquareVatican City

Tiananmen SquareBeijing

Red SquareMoscow

The ZócaloMexico City

Plaza de MayoBuenos Aires

Central SquarePlovdiv

Piazza San MarcoVenice

Plaza MayorMadrid

Grand PlaceBrussels

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CONTENTSINTRODUCTION 6

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Participants 6 Timeline 7

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN Site and context 8 Aim 8 Competition area 9 Thematic zoning 10 Competition objectives 12 Stages and restrictions 13 Evaluation criteria 13

PROJECT PRESENTATION AND SUBMISSION Panels, format, files 14 Language 16 Anonymity 16 Project submission 16 Specific provisions 16

JURY, AWARDS AND COMMISSIONING Evaluation 17 Awards 18 Copyright and commissioning 18 APPENDIX Contemporary context 21 Ownership 28 Functions 29 Archaeological sites within the competition area 30 City Master Plan: Archaeological sites and potential connections between them 31 Restrictive regimes 32 Transport and parking 33 Pedestrian traffic 34 Historical context 35 Archaeological research in the area 38 Anticipated development 40 Public opinion 43 Photo documentation 44 Interactive map (the competition area in Google Maps) 45 Site plan in DWG format 46 Additional resources 47 Questions and answers 48

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INTRODUCTIONThe Municipality of Plovdiv and One Architecture Week invite Bulgarian and foreign architects in an open international competition for concept design. Participants are invited to propose solutions for the space of Central Square in Plovdiv – an emblematic location where most of the significant historical periods of the city overlap. A solution for their harmonious coexistence is yet to be found. This document describes the terms and conditions of the competition, defines the objectives for the participants and details the characteristics of the site. The Municipality of Plovdiv is the Promoter of this competition.

All submitted projects shall be reviewed by an international seven-member jury. It shall select three finalists. These three projects shall be awarded and shall proceed to the second stage of the competition in which the Municipality of Plovdiv shall select one of them for implementation.

TERMS AND CONDITIONSThe competition is international, open and anonymous. All submitted projects should be for concept design.

PARTICIPANTS

The competition is open for Bulgarian and international natural persons and/or legal entities or their consortia which are in legal capacity to practice architectural design in their country of registration. Bulgarian participants are required to have at least one member on the team whose professional qualification is recognized by and can be attested by the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria.

Not eligible for participation are persons who are members of the jury or are in industrial relations with the Promoter or with members of the jury.

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TIMELINE

11 April 2014 Competition announced.Launch of plovdivsquare.com

11 April–20 June 2014 Project development. Questions and answers (until 14 June). The answers to the frequently asked questions shall be published on the website.

14–20 June 2014 Project submission. Submission form shall be available at plovdivsquare.com/submit by 23:59 hours on 20 June 2014

21–23 June 2014 Technical committee

24–27 June 2014 Expert committee

28–29 June 2014 International jury meeting. Announcement of the 3 finalists.

30 June–14 July 2014 Public discussion of the finalists. Final winner selection.

15 July 2014 Final winner announced.

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ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

SITE AND CONTEXT

The competition site is Central Square – the largest open public space in the city of Plovdiv.

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria. It is situated 146 km southeast of the capital city of Sofia. It blends the relaxed atmosphere of a provincial town with the busy daily grind of a contemporary major center. Plovdiv is an old city of thousands of years of history. Its significant cultural-historical heritage encompasses the Antiquity, the Ottoman period and the Bulgarian Revival, the after-Liberation period of the Third Bulgarian State, the Socialist period. Ample and valuable material evidence has been preserved from each of these periods. The landmarks however are far from coexisting in an organic body, even more so given the current rhythm of city life.

What Plovdiv needs is a contemporary public space which should neither turn its back on history, nor lose its touch with the present. The international architectural design competition for Central Square in Plovdiv has been announced in an effort to find a solution to the problem in open architectural competition.

AIM

Central Square is a tough place ridden with issues. Most of the historical and architectural layers the city is famous for intersect right here – archaeological excavations, a socialist Party House, a Modernist and later renovated post office, а park from the late 19th century and a number of transport conflicts.

The aim of the competition goes beyond renovation. The challenge is to provide a strategy for harmonizing all these layers into an actively functioning, attractive and distinctly contemporary space.

The international competition for Central Square is also part of the strategy of the Municipality of Plovdiv towards a successful bid for European Capital of Culture in 2019.

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COMPETITION AREA

The competition area comprises: Central Square, the zones of exposed architectural remains to the north and east of the Post Office (Ancient Forum North and Ancient Forum East), the recent 2013 excavation sites in the western part of the square (Ancient Forum West), the Trimontium underpass, the Archaeological underpass and the so called “Post Office underpass”, as well as the archaeological site of the Early Christian Basilica of Philippopolis, also known as the Great Basilica.

To the north the competition area reaches the Archaeological underpass. The boundary follows the contour of the private property to the north of the square and encompasses the archaeological sites.

To the south the area is confined by the building of the former Party House (currently used by the Municipality administration), by the Military Club and by the Trimontium Hotel. The Trimontium underpass and the parking area of the Trimontium hotel are also within the competition area.

For most of its length the eastern boundery runs along the left sidewalk of Tsar Boris III Obedinitel Blvd. Within the competition area are also the underpass connecting Central Square and Tsar Boris

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III Obedinitel Blvd. with Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd. and Gladstone St. which pass underground. The archaeological excavations (the so called Great Basilica) are also within the competition area.

To the west the competition area reaches the end of the pedestrian zone raised above Gladstone St. From there the boundary follows the contour of Tsar Simeon's Garden (Tsar Simeonova Gradina) and reaches the beginning of Ivan Vazov St.

The Post Office building is private property and is therefore excluded from the competition assignment.

THEMATIC ZONING

For convenience of the participants the competition area has been divided into 4 thematic zones (see scheme on next page).

Zone A: Archaeological remains of the Ancient Forum of PhilippopolisThe zone comprises 5 parts: Forum North, Forum East, Forum West (Western propylaea), Roman crossroads and the Eirene Peristyle House (in the Archaeological underpass), a fragment of a fortification wall (in the Trimontium underpass) and the Great Basilica.

Zone B: Urban public spaceThe zone comprises: Central Square, the pedestrian zone raised above Gladstone St., all sidewalks and pedestrian zones, as well as the pedestrian access points to the underpasses within the competition area.

Zone C: UnderpassesThe zone comprises: the Trimontium underpass, the Post Office underpass and the Archaeological underpass.

Zone D: the Trimontium hotel parking area and the Post Office building(optional zone)

Based on the above thematic zoning the competition objectives have been set as follows:

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THEMATIC ZONES

Zone A -‐ Archaeological remains of the Ancient Forum of Philippopolis

Zone B -‐ Urban public space

Zone C -‐ Underpasses

Zone D -‐ The Trimontium hotel parking area and the Post Office building

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COMPETITION OBJECTIVES

Objectives for Zone A — zone of exposed archaeology

● propose a concept for the preservation, exposure and socialization of the archaeological cultural heritage of each part in zone A. At this stage (competition concept design project) it is not required to elaborate on the technical details for each archaeological site. Participants should only present their conceptual solutions for each part in zone A.

● provide for pedestrian access to the zone and its connection to the contemporary city

● establish spatial and logical links between the 6 parts in the zone (via underground or overground structures, information design, paving patterns or other)

The archaeological sites in Zone A are shown in Appendix, scheme Archaeological sites within the competition area.

All proposed interventions should take into account that parts of the competition area lie within a zone of group immovable cultural values regime or within a group immovable cultural values protective zone, as described in the Master Plan of Plovdiv Municipality (see Appendix, scheme Restrictive regimes). Participants should elaborate in specific detail the proposed urbanistic intervention in view of the immovable cultural heritage.

Objectives for Zone B

● solution for a space which can cope with large number of visitors at various events

● information facilities attending to the immovable cultural heritage in the zone (information center and other facilities upon the discretion of the participant)

● temporary exhibition spaces

● movable merchant structures

● stage for concerts and other events

● solution for paving, green areas, greenery, shading (upon the discretion of the participant)

● solution for small urban elements (benches, pavilions, lighting and other upon the discretion of the participant)

Participants may propose other types of spaces, volumes and elements appropriate for Zone B, in support of their concept.

Objectives for Zone C

● demonstrate how the general idea of the concept may be developed and applied in the underpasses, while retaining the parameters of the existing facilities (height and width of the tunnels).

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Objectives for Zone D — Optional

● proposal for reconstruction of the parking area in front of the Trimontium hotel in order to provide for adequate contact with the public space. The type and extent of intervention is upon the discretion of the participant. It is required that the current capacity of at least 50 parking spaces be retained, yet the parking area in its current state is by no means an acceptable esthetic solution for the particular area.

● proposal for exterior design and function of the Post Office building. The building is private property and is not subject to this competition. Yet, in order to propose an overreaching concept, participants may include recommendations for facade redesign and new functions of the building. It is possible that their recommendations be implemented at a further stage, following discussion with the property owners.

● The fountain in front of the Party House may be dismounted or redesigned upon the discretion of the participant.

STAGES AND RESTRICTIONS

Competition projects should allow for implementation in at least two stages.

Participants should comply with the restrictions imposed by the protective regimes of the immovable cultural values within the competition area (see Appendix, scheme Regimes)

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The jury shall evaluate projects according to the following criteria:

● clearly articulated approach to the contemporary context, the historical background and their interaction

● effective preservation, socialization and integration of the immovable cultural heritage● economic feasibility of the project● innovation corresponding to the characteristics of the site● construction and technological feasibility● consideration for the climatic characteristics of the city of Plovdiv and the problems of the

particular area subject to this competition● ecological sustainability● consideration for the transport and communication characteristics of the area surrounding

Central Square and the problems of the site● accessibility of the environment for people with disabilities

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PRESENTATION AND SUBMISSION

PANELS, FORMAT, FILES

Competition projects should be presented in 5 panels, A0 format, Landscape orientation. The panels should be submitted in PDF files via the competition website. Files should not exceed the size of 10 MB each.

Content requirements for each panel:

Panel 1Materials demonstrating the general concept of the project: 3D visualizations, schemes and other illustrative materials (upon the discretion of the participant), explanatory text up to 1500 characters. Name the file “1.pdf”.

Panel 2Site plan (M 1:500). A 1:500 scale of the competition area exceeds the A0 format. Participants should therefore insert the Archaeological underpass and its adjacent area in a separate layout within the drawing, as shown in scheme Panel contents in A0 format. Name the file “2.pdf”.

Panel 3Typical sections and silhouettes (M 1:500 or 1:200, upon the discretion of the participant). Name the file “3.pdf”.

Panel 4Typical fragments (M 1:200 or M 1:100) shown in plans, sections, details, axonometric views, perspective views and other illustrative materials (upon the discretion of the participant). Name the file “4.pdf”

Panel 5General visual representation of the project: 3D visualizations, photos of models, perspective/axonometric drawings and other illustrative materials (upon the discretion of the participant). Name the file “5.pdf”.

ThumbnailBesides the 5 panels, participants are required to provide 1 representative image of the project (JPEG format, 300x300 px, 72 dpi). That image shall distinguish the project in the list of all submitted entries, which shall be published on the competition website after evaluation is completed. The representative image may comprise a 3D visualization, a detail or a scheme. It should be readable when sized to a thumbnail. Name the file “thumbnail.jpg”

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PANEL CONTENTS IN A0 FORMAT

Explanation of the concept, text, images

Site plan, M1:500

Typical sections, silhouettes, M1:500; M1:200

Typical fragments, M1:200; 1:100

3D visualizations, photos of models, perspective/axonometricdrawings and other illustrative materials

Panel 1

Panel 2

Panel 3

Panel 4

Panel 5

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LANGUAGE

The official language of the competition is English. The explanatory text and all descriptions on the drawings should be in English.

ANONYMITY

The names of the participants or of the teams, their photos, initials or logos should not be evident on the presentation panels, nor on the thumbnail image. Names shall be entered in the submission form on the competition website and shall not be visible to the jury and to the technical committee. The anonymity of the participants is guaranteed by the electronic system for project submission and evaluation.

PROJECT SUBMISSION

Competition projects should be submitted in digital format. The project submission form shall be accessible at plovdivsquare.com/submit between 14 June and 20 June 2014. Please do not forget to click the “Submit” button after you fill in all required fields. Upon successful submission, the participant shall receive confirmation by e-mail.

Projects sent by email or mail, and not via the submission form on the competition website, shall not be reviewed due to violation of anonymity.

SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

The Promoter reserves the right to cancel the competition in the cases when: ● fewer than 5 projects have been submitted● all submitted projects fail to comply with the announced terms and conditions

Upon cancellation of the competition all participants shall be notified within 3 days from the decision to cancel.

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EVALUATION, AWARDS AND COMMISSIONING

EVALUATION

Upon conclusion of the project submission period, a technical committee shall review all submitted projects for compliance with the technical requirements for size and content. Projects which fail to comply with the requirements shall not be reviewed by the jury.

One week prior to the jury meeting all jury members shall be granted online access to the projects.

During the evaluation process the international jury shall be joined by an expert committee comprising:● a representative of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria● a representative of the Union of Architects in Bulgaria● a representative of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria● a representative of the National Institute of Immovable Cultural Heritage● a lawyer● a representative of Municipal Foundation "Plovdiv 2019"

The expert committee shall have online access to the competition projects prior to the evaluation process. To aid the work of the jury, each member of the expert committee shall draft their opinion on the submitted projects. The international jury shall take into consideration these expert opinions at the final stage of ranking the projects.

One week prior to the jury meeting all of its members shall have online access to the submitted projects.

Evaluation shall be conducted in two stages on two consecutive days.

On the first day of evaluation all projects which have been approved by the technical committee shall be reviewed and voted on. The jury members shall vote “yes” and “no”. The projects which receive 4 (out of 7) votes “yes” shall proceed to the next round. Each member of the jury has the right to support up to 3 projects and advance them to the second round of evaluation, even if they have not received the necessary 4 votes of approval.

On the second day of evaluation compete only the projects which have received 4 or more “yes” votes or have been supported by any member of the jury. At that stage each project shall be discussed in detail and shall be voted on again.

By the end of the day the jury should have selected three finalists. The jury shall also rank these projects from first to third place, yet their ranking shall only serve as recommendation.

The involvement of the international jury concludes at this point.

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At the next stage of the competition the Municipality of Plovdiv shall organize a public discussion on the three awarded projects. The Mayor of Plovdiv may meet each of the authors, may demand a full list of the participants on their team (if there are teams among the finalists), and may demand certificates for their professional competence. The Promoter of the competition — the Municipality of Plovdiv — is not entitled to demand reworking of any of the three concepts before determining the final winner.

The Municipality of Plovdiv shall select the winner among the three finalists not later than 10 days after the jury have submitted their decision.

AWARDS

The three finalists selected by the international jury shall receive financial rewards as follows:

First prize: 20 000 BGNSecond and third prizes: 10 000 BGN

COPYRIGHT AND COMMISSIONING

The decision to organize a competition for pre-investment architectural design concept for the revitalization and renovation of Central Square in Plovdiv has been motivated by the desire to ensure a competitive process leading to the selection of one concept, in compliance with the aforementioned requirements, which shall form the basis for the ensuing technical investment projects and shall determine their scope and content.

Participants who have been admitted to the competition by the technical committee, but have not been selected among the three finalists, shall not assign to the Promoter any rights to their projects.

The two finalists who have not been selected as first-prize winner shall not assign to the Promoter any rights to their projects.

Only the final winner shall assign exclusive rights to the Commissioner.

Not later than 15 calendar days after the competition results have been announced, the Promoter shall secure a contract with the first-prize winner for the development of technical investment project. In the case of refusal by the participant to contract, the next shortlisted finalist shall be invited and a new 15-calendar-day period shall be assigned for securing a contract.

Upon securing a contract with the Promoter for purchase of the concept design, the participant's concept shall become an indispensable part of the assignment for development of investment technical and executive project.

The final winner may be engaged to provide consultation services and to conduct author's supervision until the final implementation of the project, upon securing a contract with the Promoter.

The Municipality of Plovdiv reserves the right to publish, in parts or in their entirety, the submitted

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projects for archives or for publications related to the competition. In these cases acknowledgement of the projects' authors is required (unless they have explicitly requested anonymity in the submission form).

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APPENDIXCONTEMPORARY CONTEXT

OWNERSHIP

FUNCTIONS

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES WITHIN THE COMPETITION AREA

CITY MASTER PLAN: ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES AND POTENTIAL CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THEM

RESTRICTIVE REGIMES

TRANSPORT AND PARKING

PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Archaeological RESEARCH IN THE AREA

ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT

PUBLIC OPINION

PHOTO DOCUMENTATION

INTERACTIVE MAP (THE COMPETITION AREA IN GOOGLE MAPS)

SITE PLAN IN DWG FORMAT

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

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CONTEMPORARY CONTEXTThe major urban planning and architectural landmarks within the competition area are:

The Post OfficeThe building of the Post Office is private property. All interventions in the architectural design and functions of the building shall therefore be considered only as recommendation at this stage.Photos: bit.ly/1edpy7d

Tsar Simeon's Garden (Tsar Simeonova Gradina)The park is a monument of culture. Created in 1892 by French landscape gardener Lucien Chevallaz, today the city garden is a favorite meeting spot for mothers with children and the elderly, who love to play chess there. The Municipality of Plovdiv has developed a project for the restoration of the park's appearance as it was in the early 20th century. The entrance to the park has always been and will remain from Central Square.Photos: bit.ly/1edoK2h

The building of the former Communist Party House At present the Municipality of Plovdiv is the owner of the building. The high-rise unit is occupied by various municipal offices. The low-rise unit is used by the Plovidiv Opera and Philharmonic Society. This is only a temporary provision. A pending competition assignment shall include an option for superstructing the low-rise unit and reconstruction of the facade, so that in the future all municipal structures could be accommodated in the building. The Plovdiv Opera and Philharmonic Society will be relocated.Photos: bit.ly/1isuBxp

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The Military ClubThe building is categorized as an immovable cultural value. It is used for various cultural events, the most famous of which is the re-enactment of the events leading to the Unification of Bulgaria (6 September)Photos: bit.ly/1mYrRL2

Ivan Vazov St.The street connects the railway station with Central Square. It is in a zone of group immovable cultural values. On Ivan Vazov St. are located the so called Tobacco Warehouses which are part of the industrial heritage of the city. The huge sycamore trees growing all along the street add to its unique appeal.Photos: bit.ly/1koRcAK

The Trimontium hotelAlthough it is not exactly on the Square, the hotel is closely related to the space. It was built in the 50s of the 20th century, in the Socialist Realist style typical of the period, and has become one of the emblematic buildings of the city of Plovdiv.Photos: bit.ly/1hod6lv

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The parking area in front of the Trimontium hotelThe parking area of the Trimontium hotel borders on Central Square. Pedestrians accessing the square from the public transport stops walk on a narrow sidewalk between thе parking and the exposed archaeology. At present, and most probably in the future, this is the only convenient parking place close to the Main Street. It is also the nearest possible place where buses can park. At the same time, the locals do not like the parking and want it to be removed. One of the objectives of this competition is to resolve the situation.Photos: bit.ly/1k0N8ny

Tsar Boris III Obedinitel Blvd.The Trimontium parking area is accessible by Tsar Boris III Obedinitel Blvd. It is one of the major and busiest transport arteries in the city, connecting the northern and the southern zones. About 80% of the public transport lines pass through the boulevard and stop by the Square.Photos: bit.ly/1lOJsb9

The Trimontium hotel underpassThis is one of the underpasses which cross Tsar Boris III Obedinitel Blvd. At present the underpass accommodates various kinds of shops. One of the towers of the fortification wall of Ancient Plovdiv is exposed in it as well. The underpass provides direct access to the level of the archaeology exposed to the east of the Post Office. The commercial outlets in and around the underpass are granted temporary statute.Photos: bit.ly/1g1sMJn

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The Archaeological underpassThe Archaeological underpass is the other underpass in the area which crosses Tsar Boris III Obedinitel Blvd. Construction work on the underpass uncovered a street of the Ancient Town. It is exposed (and people actually walk on it), there is a gallery exhibiting mosaics and other artefacts from a wealthy Roman house – the Eirene Peristyle House. The underpass leads from the main pedestrian street to a vast area of archaeological findings – the Eastern Gate of the Ancient Town. It has been researched, yet still not exposed and socialized, because it lies within an area of mixed property. The commercial outlets in and around the underpass are granted temporary statute.Photos: bit.ly/1gHqqvt

Gladstone St.Building that street was one of the conflict incidents in the history of Central Square. The peculiarities of the planning of Plovdiv and its natural relief make the transport link between the eastern and the western zones rather problematic. The situation is further complicated by the long pedestrian street oriented North-South. The conflict between a pedestrian street and the need for a big transport artery, perpendicular to it, was resolved by driving a tunnel underneath the Main Street and the Post Office. The tunnel runs at the level of the Ancient Town. Part of the Forum was discovered and demolished during construction. Gladstone St. is large and busy, it runs at the level of the archaeology and makes it hard to connect the archaeological remains of the Eastern Forum with the ones to the North.Photos: bit.ly/1iuC5jw

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ArchaeologyDuring the 1st–5th centuries at the place of today's Central Square lay the Forum of Ancient Plovdiv. Every intervention at a depth of more than 1 meter uncovers the archaeological layer. The medium depth at which the archaeological structures are located is 4 meters. There is groundwater in the area. The Post Office building occupies most of the free space of the Forum. Archaeological excavations focus on discovering the structures which once confined that space. Part of the Forum was demolished during the construction of the Gladstone St. tunnel, as mentioned above. Discovered and exposed so far are The Eastern Forum, The Northern Forum and The Western Propylaea.

The Eastern Forum. The eastern and southeastern parts of the Ancient Forum are exposed between the Post Office and Tsar Boris III Obedinitel Blvd. By its legal statute, the property on which the Eastern Forum is located is co-owned by the Municipality of Plovdiv and a private owner. The Municipality is negotiating the options to acquire full ownership of the terrain. The terrain is in a Protective Zone of Group Immovable Cultural Values and every intervention must be coordinated with the National Institute of Immovable Cultural Heritage (NIICH). Photos: bit.ly/1lHNaAN

The Northern Forum. Currently it is not accessible from the Square. It has a narrow front and problematic access from the main pedestrian street. It is not accessible at the archaeological level either, because it is not possible to cross Gladstone St. at that place. The legal owner of the property is the Municipality of Plovdiv. The terrain lies within a Protective Zone of Group Immovable Cultural Values and every intervention must be coordinated with the NIICH. The Northern Forum includes: the Odeon building which has been restored and socialized; the building of the library; the northern propylaea; shops. At present the space of the Northern Forum is accessible from a small pedestrian street to the North – Gen. Gurko St. Photos: bit.ly/1ip9NFR

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The Western Propylaea. These are the most recently discovered archaeological remains. They have neither been exposed, nor socialized. They lie within a terrain owned by the Municipality of Plovdiv and within a Protective Zone of Group Immovable Cultural ValuesPhotos: bit.ly/1hbPnE0

Main pedestrian streetThe main street in Plovdiv (the so called “Glavnata”) is the most vibrant space in town. It is a pedestrian street with commercial stores, restaurants, bars, cafes and public spaces. The places where people most frequently gather are: The Square in front of the Municipality, Dzhumayata and Kapana.Photos: bit.ly/1gM1YsH

The Square in front of the Municipality. Smaller in size than Central Square, it is a place for meeting over coffee and also the place for the city's Christmas tree and the Christmas Bazaar. The fountain works and often there is an orchestra playing. Photos: bit.ly/1juQpuz

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Dzhumayata. A small part of the Ancient Stadium of Plovdiv is exposed here. After a recent reconstruction the place has been effectively socialized. There is also a historical monument from the Ottoman period – the Dzhumaya Mosque from which starts the easiest route to the Old Town. The small square by the mosque is a popular meeting spot. A must-see sight for tourists.

Kapana. This is a little neighborhood of narrow paved streets, dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings from the beginning of the 20th century. In the 80s of the past century the quarter was restored and developed into an architectural reserve with commercial focus. Most of the buildings in the neighborhood are single immovable cultural values. In recent years Kapana has become a zone for artists, fancy little shops, cafes and vibrant night life. The Municipality is gradually implementing its resolution to make all streets in the neighborhood pedestrian.

***

The latest competition for conceptual design of the Square was announced in 2000. The assignment included socialization, adaptation and exposure of the archaeological remains of the Forum. The first-prize winning project was partially developed and then vaguely implemented. Some of the grassed areas and trees in front of the Post Office appeared as a result of that competition. Most of them however were dug up and removed when archaeological excavations began in 2012.

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OWNERSHIP

municipality/state-‐owned buildings

zones with archaeological sites, property of the Municipalityprivate property

zones with archaeological sites, property of the Municipality and private owners

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FUNCTIONS

administrative buildings

cultural buildings

residential buildings/hotels

public buildings

commercial buildings

residential/commercial function

residential/public function

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES WITHIN THE COMPETITION AREA

2

13

4

5

6

1. Eastern Forum

2. Northern Forum and Odeon

3. Western propylaea of the Forum

archaeological sites

zones of excavated unexposed archaeological sites

zones of non-excavated archaeological sites

zones of exposed archaeological sites

4. Fragment of a fortification wall

5. Roman crossroads and Eirene house

6. Great Basilica

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CITY MASTER PLAN Immovable cultural heritage. Archaeological sites and potential connections between them.

2

13

4

5

10

9

8

7

6

12

14

15

11

13

archaeological sites

zones of excavated unexposed archaeological sites

zones of non-‐excavated archaeological sites

zones of exposed archaeological sites

potential connections between the archaeological sites

1. Eastern Forum

2. Northern Forum and Odeon

3. Western propylaea of the Forum

4. Fragment of a fortification wall

5. Roman crossroads and Eirene house

6. Ancient Stadium

7. Ancient Theater

8. Religious and residential buildings complex

9. Great Basilica

10. Fragments of insulae and ancient streets

11. Ancient buildings

12. Eastern thermae

13. Narcissus residential building

14. Small Basilica

15. Eastern Gate

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RESTRICTIVE REGIMES

boundaries of the “Ancient Forum of Philippopolis” archaeological monument

regime A-‐ archaeology exposure in park environment-‐ ban on new constructions

regime B-‐ new constructions allowed after detailed urban planning project development

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TRANSPORT AND PARKING

P

P

street

parking area

public transport stop

public transport stop (-‐ 4.00 m)

traffic direction

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PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC

public transport stops

pedestrian zone

water area

intensive pedestrian flow

non-‐intensive pedestrian flow

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HISTORICAL CONTEXT

ANTIQUITY

Plovdiv is considered to be one of the most ancient European cities. Its history can be traced about 6000 years back in time. Between the 1st and the 4th centuries Plovdiv was part of the Roman Empire. All archaeological remains within the competition area date from that period. In the zone underneath and around Central Square are located:

Forum (Agora)The forum used to be the commercial, administrative and religious center of the ancient city of Philippoplis (nowadays Plovdiv). Meetings, debates, celebrations and state events were held there. Spreading over an area of 20 daa, the shape of the city square (forum) remained unchanged for centuries. It retained its basic shape of a rectangle (almost a square) with dimensions of 143 m North-South and 136 m East-West. On its northern side a complex of administrative buildings dominated over the rest of the structures on the square. The main streets cardo maximus and decumanus maximus intersect outside the eastern entrance of the complex.

A characteristic feature of the city of Plovdiv is that the central part of the ancient Philippopolis coincides completely with the contemporary city center of Plovdiv.

Odeon / BouleuterionThe Odeon of Philippopolis is situated in the northeast corner of the Forum. It is rectangular in plan and fits perfectly within the orthogonal structure of the forum complex. Perhaps the building originally served as bouleuterion (town hall), but later construction periods reveal its principal function as a theater building. The archaeological findings suggest that the building had four construction periods: from the 1st to the 4th century.

LibraryThe Library is one of the public buildings forming the northern part of the Forum. It is located to the west of the Odeon, in immediate proximity. The building plan is rectangular in shape and approximately 15x20 m in size.

TreasuryIn the northwest part of the Forum is situated the Treasury. The building has not been researched archaeologically yet.

The Great BasilicaIn immediate proximity to the nowadays church of St. Ludwig lie the ruins of the largest Early Christian basilica in Bulgaria (4th – 6th centuries). It has three naves with an apse at the east end of the central nave. Only the southern part and (partially) the central nave have been researched. The rest of the basilica is beneath the road leading to Tsar Boris III Obedinitel Blvd.

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OTTOMAN PERIOD

Between the 14th and the 19th centuries the city was part of the Ottoman Empire. The remains from the Roman period were used as construction materials for new buildings and thus the majority of them were destroyed. During the Ottoman period urban planning and development followed the typical Oriental model. The new authorities created an entirely new urban space through a series of public buildings laden with symbolism (mosques, schools, drinking fountains, baths). While the Christian population did not leave their neighborhoods from the Byzantine-Bulgarian period, the conqueror took active efforts to “ottomanize” the open city space, modeling it on the urban planning tradition that originated in pre-Ottoman Asia Minor.

The tremendous fiscal resource invested to create a new commercial and economic center in the city, through financing the construction of the respective public buildings, paid back. During the 15th century, in the course of only a few decades, the city attracted enough settlers to revive the glory of Plovdiv as one of the major urban centers on the Balkans.

During the period of the Bulgarian National Revival (18th – 19th centuries) Plovdiv was a significant economic center. The Bulgarian middle class gained economic power and secured its influence in society. That stratum was open to modern political and cultural influences. Plovdiv inscribed its name in the new Bulgarian history with its contribution to the development of the national culture and the struggle for an autonomous church.

THE THIRD BULGARIAN STATE

Towards the end of the 19th century, following the Liberation from the Ottoman rule, Plovdiv was a well developed and large city (by the standards of Bulgaria at the time). It had the economic resource to partake in the budding European-style urban planning and development, thanks to a number of Austro-Hungarian, Italian and other architects, engineers and landscape designers.

At the close of the 19th century the area now occupied by Tsar Simeon's Garden was a swamp. It was actually transformed into a park and hosted the so called First Bulgarian Exhibition. This was probably the first larger public zone designed in front of the residential neighborhoods which took up the space at the time.

Some of the first city master plans from 1896 and 1905 also marked it as a “square”. The square was a significant part of the city. Passing through it was the main road which connected the downtown with the railway station via Stantsionna St. (nowadays Ivan Vazov St.) and reached the Maritsa river and the bridge to today's town of Pazardzhik via the nowadays pedestrian Main street (which back then was the major transportation and whatever artery in the city).

In front of the Military Club located in the western part of the square - one of the most beautiful buildings in Plovdiv at the time – citizens gathered to welcome the victorious Bulgarian soldiers in the years of the Balkan Wars. The building was almost completely ruined in the Chirpan earthquake of 1928, together with most of the residential buildings in the area. The buildings which survived were mainly from the period after the Liberation – such as the hospital of Kudoglu, another emblem of the square. An important sight is the fountain of Demeter by Arnoldo Zocchi which still remains today.

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SOCIALIST PERIOD

The urban structure in the vicinity of the square remained unchanged until the 60s of the 20th century. In the 50s the city garden still hosted the fair. The Trimontium hotel was built. The tunnel construction underneath the Three-hill redirected the main traffic from the Square. Yet the character of the space – an extension of the main street – was preserved.

In the 60s the socialist government needed a large, empty and imposing space to hold parades from the Party House. Central Square became a “square of the regime”. It was used for celebrations, parades, speeches, addresses, and even for welcoming the first man in space Yuri Gagarin in Plovdiv.

In 1968 an international competition for the city center area was held. As a result, the Zoning and Development Plan for that part of the city was developed. After a number of reworkings of the winning competition project, in the 70s the Square underwent dramatic change.

The whole neighborhood, which until then formed the eastern part of the square, was demolished. The Post Office building was substantially enlarged to the east. A building for the Party House with a hall for celebrations was designed and constructed (at present it is a hall of the Plovdiv Opera and Philharmonic Society). A large parking area was built in front of the Trimontium hotel. It was decided that the new business center of the city should start from that square and develop to the other side of Georgi Dimitrov Blvd. (nowadays Tsar Boris III Obedinitel Blvd.).

Archaeological remains underneath the Post Office were discovered – the eastern and southeastern part of the Ancient Forum which is partially exposed and socialized. All development plans envisioned underground passage beneath the Post Office, in view of the (still) problematic automobile connection in the East-West direction.

At the end of the 70s the square acquired the appearance that has generally been preserved to the present day.

During the 80s construction work began on the underground passage Gladstone St. - Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd. underneath the Post Office, splitting the Ancient Forum of Philippopolis. Despite the wave of public debates and objections by architects and archaeologists, that transport link was driven. The location of the Forum, the buildings on its north side, the southern fortification wall, the Great Basilica and some insulae were revealed on the terrain. Large parts of the Forum were exposed and socialized. There are numerous points of access to the excavation site, the area is grassed and lit by night.

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE AREAThe information below has been provided by archaeologist Maya Martinova. It is a report presented at an expert discussion on the future competition for Central Square, held in September 2013 in Plovdiv.

The town square (forum) of Philippopolis is one of the places of great social significance in the structure of the ancient city. The forum was designed and included as an integral part of the orthogonal city planning and by its nature represents a large public building. The open square space (the area) alone is about 99 m by 111 m. It is surrounded on all four sides by porticos. A stylobate supporting a colonnade forms the façade of the porticos. During the different construction periods the eastern, southern and western sides of the forum were lined up with shops. The shops' entrances were from the side of the porticos and the open square space. A complex of public buildings following the east-west axis composed the northern side of the forum. These buildings were partly excavated, with the northeastern part of the complex being researched the most.

Four construction periods have been discerned in the building of the Forum of Philippopolis. They have been dated back to the Late Hellenistic period, the late 1st century BC, the early 1st century AD and the late 4th century AD . During all four periods the forum was functioning as a single public building. It declined gradually after the end of the 4th century AD and later buildings were constructed on top of it.

It is important to note that the earliest cultural remains date from the time of the last Thracian rulers, a period when the Thracian kingdom had become a Roman protectorate. These remains are represented by an early stylobate that was no longer used after the late 1st century BC. In this way the open square space was reduced. Later, with the construction of another stylobate 2 meters towards the center of the square, the open square space was reduced again, thus enlarging the area of all four sides that was occupied by the porticos.

The forum was linked to some other sections of the ancient city that have been researched and exposed. These remains are an insula south of the forum and a tower (the tower of Marcus Aurelius) belonging to the outer fortification wall of Philippopolis. The latter has been exposed in the underground passage in front of the Trimontium hotel.

The forum was divided and partially destroyed when Gladston street was being built, thus forming the Eastern Forum that is no longer connected to the rest of the ancient town square.

Three public buildings from the Northern Forum have been researched and exposed. In the northeastern part of the complex there is a small, roof-covered theatrical building. Although according to its plan the building was an Odeon, it was actually used as a Bouleuterion, housing the council of citizens (boule) that governed the ancient city. The building went through four construction periods concurrent with the construction periods of the entire forum. The marble half columns forming the western façade of the Odeon/Bouleuterion are well-preserved and were found in situ near the level of nowadays Gurko street.

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The city library was built west of the Odeon/Bouleuterion. It was a large rectangular hall with marble flooring and a marble roundabout path at the height of 1 m, thus providing access to the niches that segmented the inner walls of the building. Wooden shelves (armaria), used for scrolls and documents, were placed in these niches. The marble flooring and the marble paneling of the plinth and the roundabout path are evidence of the luxurious interior of the building.

During the 2012 excavation season the southern façade of a third public building was explored west of the Library. At present it is not possible to uncover the entire building because there is contemporary one lying to the north.

There are several sections from the Northern Forum that have not been excavated yet, but have been scheduled for future archaeological research. These are commercial pavilions and a third public building which, according to the working hypothesis, is a Civic basilica. The basilica’s southern façade had three entrances, two of which were later closed and transformed into apses where emperors’ statues were placed.

The southern façade had three entrances. One of them was closed and a marble pedestal supporting the statue of Emperor Commodus was placed there. The inscription on the emperor’s statue pedestal in front of the preserved niche is the only surviving in situ epigraphic monument from Plovdiv.

The position of the Northern Forum among the modern buildings is favorable in terms of opportunities for using the original ancient walkways and connections. The original ancient pedestrian zone (ambulatio) could be used for the purposes of integrating the forum complex and making it accessible to the general public. The slabs of the threshold giving access to the library are also well-positioned.

A drainage system has been uncovered in the northern ambulatio. This section has been archaeologically excavated to the level of the groundwater. The earliest period of the town square construction may be exhibited in a display showcase. The rest of the sections may be displayed at the level of the last construction period of the town square (after the mid-3rd century AD).

DRAWINGS: SURVEYING AND INTERPRETATION

Ancient Forum Plovdiv, surveying, interpretation, preliminary research, June 1985, architect V. Kolarova, N. Buchkova, R. Proykova (drawings, archive of the NIICH)bit.ly/1eqMaRNbit.ly/1lUID0c

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ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENTThe Master Plan of Plovdiv Municipality, approved in 2007, provides analysis and classification of the cultural-historical heritage sites and the immovable cultural values. Any further development of the area must comply with their protective regimes.

The provisions of the Master Plan of Plovdiv Municipality have been grouped in several spatial and functional subsystems. Relevant to the area subject to this competition are:

Subsystem Residence

It is required to:

● preserve and develop the cultural identity of the residential environment in the zone of immovable cultural heritage

● preserve the traditional urban planning characteristics of the environment

Subsystem Green System and Recreation

Tsar Simeon's Garden, The Hill of the Liberators (Bunardzhika) and Ruski Blvd. are urban elements of major significance to the development of the city center.

It is required to:

● effectively preserve and utilize the elements of the city's green system which have been recognized as monuments of landscape art

● manifest the cultural-historical value of the specific environmental amenities of Plovdiv.

Subsystem Social Infrastructure

It is required to:

● functionally enhance the city center system with a series of specialized information centers attending to the cultural-historical resources of the area

● integrate the social infrastructure by adapting the cultural sites to appropriate social functions

● develop the social infrastructure through underground urbanism at the archaeological level, offering reasonable integration of new functions amidst the archelogical artefacts

Subsystem Communication and Transport

It is required to:

● comply with the requirements of the zone of immovable cultural heritage

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● preserve the integrity of the valuable physical characteristics of the urbanistic structures of cultural-historical value

● prevent the multiplication of the negative effects of the failed communication solutions implemented in the second half of the 20th century

● overcome these negative effects to the extent possible

● reduce to the possible minimum the automobile (transit) traffic and massive street parking in the zones of immovable cultural heritage

● provide optimal pedestrian access and preserve the qualities and comfort of the urban environment

● develop optimal underground urbanism

● interconnect the system of underground communication facilities (underpasses, underground parking areas, garages) with the integral archaeological system within the framework of the unified system of underground spaces

Provisions of the Master Plan regarding the cultural-historical heritage and the development of The Underground Museum of Philippopolis

The idea to preserve, safeguard, adapt, assign new functions, valorize and utilize the urban cultural and historical layering was developed in the Master Plan of Plovdiv Municiplaity as Underground Museum of Philippopolis. “Museum” is a provisional term signifying a series of thematically and spatially connected periods, sites, structures and routes, based on and united by the underlying goal:

The density of underground spaces is the highest in the city center area, due to the high concentration of engineering-transportation infrastructure and immovable cultural heritage, especially in the zone of group immovable values “Historical Zone “Philippopolis - Trimontium – Plovdiv”. At the same time, the underground spaces in the area offer high potential for integration, which accounts for their multi-functional character.

In the city center area the system of underground spaces shall be developed in keeping with the system of Immovable Cultural Heritage (ICH). The interconnected open system of integrated public multifunctional underground spaces holds the most substantial grounds for development, harmonizing urban communication and engineering infrastructure and showcasing the archaeological potential of the area, with regard to the overground cultural-historical structures and with the active role of the contact system.

Unified Underground Multifunctional System “Underground Museum of Philippopolis”

There are prospects for the development of an interconnected open system of directly integrated public multifunctional underground spaces. It should provide a thorough exposure of the urban archaeology in combination with attractive public functions. The system will be the central component in the system of underground spaces in the city center area.

The system will encompass the existing underground cultural-historical spaces of the “Lower Town”: the Forum complex, the Odeon, the Small Basilica with Baptistery by Knyaginya Maria Luiza

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Blvd., the Archaeological underpass and the Ancient Stadium. Its development will further incorporate new underground spaces and respectively new archaeological values.

The underlying goal is to create a unified continuous underground spatial system which follows the integral archaeological structure and presents both the integrity and the stratification of the historical layers. At present these urban riches cannot be adequately demonstrated and appreciated because of their serious fragmentation in the urban environment.

The underground space beneath the Forum complex occupies a central place in the system. It covers approximately the area of the protected zone of the Forum, reclaiming the part underneath Central Square, as well as some adjacent zones in connection with the archaeological values (e. g. possible integration of fragments of the presumed ancient street network). Future prospects envision the reclaiming of the highly valued central Forum space underneath the Post Office as well. The dynamic development of engineering communications will probably speed up the reclaiming of this currently blocked zone within the space of the Underground Museum of Philippopolis.

The development of the zone to the northwest will establish direct spatial link between the archaeological values: Forum–Odeo–Basilica – Archaeological underpass – archaeological structure by Ponedelnik Pazar (Monday Market).

To the north the zone will develop at the archaeological level along the axis of Knyaz Alexander I Batenberg St. and the Ancient Stadium, will pass through Dzhumaya Square and will surface at street level at Raiko Daskalov St. This development suggests the perspective relocation of today's passable collector at greater depth or the implementation of another alternative.

Polycentric system of underground multifunctional spaces

The Underground Museum of Philippopolis – being the core of the system of underground spaces in the city center area – will be actively connected to all underground spaces situated polycentrically around it. The system will include the following underground spaces:

● Archaeological underground spaces (revealed or due to be revealed in the prognosis period) on the territory of the “Lower Town” - outside the zone of the Underground Museum (The Eastern Gate, the archaeological fragments underneath the Historical and Architectural Reserve (HAR) of Old Plovdiv along Knyaginya Maria Luiza Blvd, the fortification system, elements of the street network, etc.) and within the territory of HAR Old Plovdiv (Nebet Tepe, The Ancient Theater, the fortification system, etc.)

● Multifunctional underground kernels situated in/along the city center area within the the city center system: beneath the stadium to the south of the railway station, beneath the public center on the territory of today's Stochna Railway Station.

● Multifunctional underground pedestrian passages (e. g. the one beneath the railway station square, connected to the kernel to the south of the Central Railway station).

Contact underground-overground system

The function of the contact system is to provide connections in two directions:

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● To connect in a unified system all of the aforementioned underground spaces in the area

● To connect the underground spaces with the overground urban environment, and more specifically – with the system of cultural-historical structures and open public cultural-historical spaces in the city center area.

Dispersed system of underground spaces

A dispersed system of multifunctional and relatively confined underground spaces will be developed in the city center area, in keeping with the evolving needs and demands of the functional systems.

PUBLIC OPINIONIn the process of developing the assignment two public discussions and one online survey were held. The responses to the survey offer general information on public attitudes in Plovdiv and are accessible at http://plovdivsquare.com/survey

The opinions stated are not binding, participants may consider them to the extent they find appropriate.

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PHOTO DOCUMENTATIONAll photos: plus.google.com/+Plovdivsquare/photos

All photos are accessible on the Google Plus page of the competition. There is a site locator mini-map to the right of each photo (click on the Photo Details link in the right column if you do not see the map). Click on the map to enlarge it.

Each photo on the Google Plus page is available for download in high resolution and may be used in the competition projects.

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INTERACTIVE MAPThe competition area in Google Maps: bit.ly/1gMbscgMap with the main places and photos: bit.ly/1qempFT

The competition area has been mapped with approximate precision in Google Maps. Using the interactive map and the satellite images, participants may determine the location of the competition area in relation to other landmarks in Plovdiv. A virtual tour is also available via the Street View function.

Virtual tour: bit.ly/Och57K

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SITE PLAN IN DWG FORMATThe downloadable ZIP file contains a site plan in DWG format with all necessary input data.

In case the file does not supply all data necessary for a particular design solution, the participant may present their solution based on approximations.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCESThe Ancient Stadium of Philippopolis websiteContains elaborate information on the entire Ancient Town of Philippopolisantichen-stadion-plovdiv.bg

Roman PlovdivInformation on the Ancient Town of Philippopolis and the Small Basilica Projectromanplovdiv.org

Ancient Forum Plovdiv, surveying, interpretation, preliminary research, June 1985, architect V. Kolarova, N. Buchkova, R. Proykova (drawings, archive of the NIICH)bit.ly/1eqMaRN | bit.ly/1lUID0c

The project for restoration of Tsar Simeon's Garden projects.plovdiv.bg/цар-симеонова-градина-в-упи-і-парк-кв-1/

Master Plan of Plovdiv Municipality (in Bulgarian only)plovdiv.bg/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/OUP_2.jpg

Urban planning indicators of Plovdiv (in Bulgarian only)bit.ly/1gEWZPe

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERSAll participants in the competition may address their questions to the Promoter by 23:59 hours on 14 June 2014 at: info@plovdivsquare.com

Questions may be written both in English and in Bulgarian.

The organizers of the competition shall endeavor to answer all questions in due time.

The answers to the most frequently asked questions shall be published in portions on the official website of the competition www.plovdivsquare.com

The participants may follow and comment on the competition updates in the social networks:

Facebook: facebook.com/plovdivsquareTwitter, using hashtag #plovdivsquareGoogle+: google.com/+Plovdivsquare

The following sources have been used for the development of this assignment:Assignment for organizing an architectural competition “Plovdiv, Central Square: Antiquity, Modernity, Vision”, developed by the Union of Architects in Bulgaria – Plovdiv as a project of the Plovidiv 2019 Municipal Foundation and in partnership with the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria - PlovdivReport from a public discussion held on 18.09.2013Public discussion on 29.11.2013Online survey: Plovidv, Central SquareSite plans and input data provided by the Municipality of PlovdivArchive of Architecture magazineData from the Yearbook of the Regional Historical Museum Plovdiv (2012)Expert statement of the National Institute of Immovable Cultural Heritage (NIICH)Archival data NIICHArchival photos The Lost BulgariaArchival photos Memories from the People's Republic

This assignment has been developed on the basis of all information available to the Promoter. At a later stage the information shall be amended and elaborated in its entirety as required for the development of the technical implementation plan.

This assignment would not have been possible without the support of:The Union of Architects in Bulgaria, PlovdivThe Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria – PlovdivThe Municipality of Plovdivarchaeologist Maya Martinovaarchitect Vladislav Kostadinov architect Zhana Dzhogalanova

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