Sofia Architecture Week - "Being Peripheral"

Sofia Architecture Week (SAW, 15- 22 of October) is one of the most interesting events in Bulgaria dedicated to architecture. It is an annual international architecture festival, a platform for dialogue and exchange of ideas between people who are actively engaged in the problems of their environment. This is its 3rd edition and its aim "is to build up a critical mass of urban scenarios which generate good architectural and social practices." It has a topical theme - Being Peripheral - "Living in the periphery is not just a geographic, political and economic condition, but a state of mind, too."

The program has two modules taking place in very peculiar places: 
Forum – a two-day international conference which took place on October 16 and 17 at the former Communist party’s house in Sofia (left).

Open House – the festival’s free access program which will be held between October 15 and 22 at the Central Mineral Baths in Sofia

One of the most interesting and inspiring presenters Aneta Kamenova-Bulant, Architect and cofounder of Bulant & Wailzer Austria, talked about "Architecture of the present". The studio is famous with their innovative use of glass in architecture which has brought them many prestigious awards in Austria, Germany, and France, and in 2001 Aneta Bulant was awarded the Golden Vizar. Their glass bridges in Vienna also won them the highly valued good design award at the 2007 Chicago Athenaeum.

With examples of her work and sharing  her experience Aneta Bulant showed the fascinated audience that "Peripheral situation is not negative - when a person is satisfied with his work he stays firmly in the center."