Dot Sofia is located in the heart of old Sofia. This historic part of the city has been home to trade and markets for centuries. Neglected for the past decades, it is now evolving into a multi cultural melting pot. Dot Sofia aims to contribute to the rediscovery and evolution of this still hidden urban area. The building manifests unexpected different faces and scales from the possible viewpoints. The facade of rusted sheet metal documents the gradually disappearing historic materiality of the neighborhood, and the system of opening shutters interprets the the rhythm of the market life.

We have always tried to make the most of the environment in which our projects exist as a whole and create a seemingly clear and explicit composition in which all the complexity and contradictions of what we found are present. From this perspective, the time, places and people we encounter provide us with infinite possibilities for architectural interventions; and very often some tempting solutions in front of us are just waiting for someone to wish for them. Looking back, we realize that this constant game of challenges led us to certain unexpected results; and widening our notion of an architectural environment, digging deeper and deeper into it, we can easily go beyond it.

When we met Georgi and Viara from I/O architects, we knew it had to be them. There was an instant mutual understanding and vision for the project. And we love what we see now: DOT Sofia's iconic architecture is contextualized to the history of the neighbourhood. The facade of rusted sheet metal documents the gradually disappearing historic materiality of the neighborhood, and the system of opening shutters interprets the life of the pavilions and stands at the 'Women's Market'. The generous spaces inside are simple, minimalistic, furnished with locally designed and crafted interiors and select European design classics.