Who Are We

We are a research group, focused on the Bulgarian modernist architecture in the decades of 1920's, 1930's and 1940's. We are trying to promote this architectural style, to make it better known and most importantly - trough understanding its value - better protected by both the owners and decision makers.

OUR GOALS

Main goals of the group are research, studying, documentation, promotion and preservation of mid-war Modern Movement architecture and its manifestations within Bulgarian borders, or the sites created by Bulgarian architects abroad.

For these purposes the facebook page Bulgarian Modernist Architecture was created. The members of the group carry out field researches all over the country by exploring all kinds of archive materials. The educational activity is also an important part - exhibitions, lectures, presentations, discussions.

MEMBERS

Vassil Makarinov is an art historian. He is a graduate with a bachelor's thesis "Manifestations of Modern Architecture in Apartment Buildings in Sofia from the 1920s and 1930s" in New Bulgarian University. He has been interested in research of the architecture of the Modern Movement in Bulgaria since 2013. Since 2014 he has been a curator at the National Polytechnic Museum, where he is a part of the team of several exhibition: "Technique at Home in the First Half of the 20th Century", "Cinema: Magic and Technique", "Beauty of the Time", etc. He is the author of the educational program for children between 6 and 13 called "Music and Techniques", which takes place in the museum. He participated with papers in scientific conferences: "The Acappelle Choir and the Organ, East-West Projections" (National Academy of Music, 2011, "The Organ - Space and Sound, Architecture and Paintings"), VII Academic Spring Readings (National Academy of Music, 2017, "The National Style, Modernism and Neoclassicism in the Architecture of Bulgaria in 1920s and 1930s"), Technical and Industrial Heritage in the Bulgarian Museums (National Polytechnic Museum, 2017, "The Slaughterhouse in Sofia (1928-1933) - an Important Object of the Bulgarian Industrial and Architectural Heritage (in the Context of European Practice)"). Since 2006 he has been studying an organ with Prof. Dr. Neva Krasteva, and in the following years he has participated in a number of organ concerts in Sofia, Stara Zagora, Pazardzhik, Blagoevgrad, Plovdiv and Varna.

Theodor Karakolev is a journalist with years-long experience in regional and national media, specialized in the field of culture and the arts. He was born in Plovdiv, where he lives and works. He has been actively involved in the field of journalism since 2008 working at Plovdiv24.bg, Mediacafe.bg, PodTepeto.bg, Bulgarian National Darik Radio and "Hristo Botev" programme of the Bulgarian National Radio. As a part of Mediacafe team, he was involved in projects in the cultural sphere. In 2014 he leads the project "How and Why Do We Change Our Buildings?", part of the Night of Museums and Galleries in Plovdiv, related to the preservation of the architectural heritage in the city. He takes part in One Architecture Week 2014 in the "At Home He's A Tourist" project in discussions of the history of the urban environment and the perception of the city by its inhabitants. In 2015 together with Mediacafe team he created the documentary "How Plovdiv Has Became European Capital of Culture 2019". In 2016, in a joint project with New Bulgarian University and Bulgarian-European Cultural Dialogue Centre he created the documentary "The Road of Dobrovich", related to the 200th anniversary of the Bulgarian painter Dimitar Dobrovich. In 2016 he again took part in One Architecture Week as a curator of the daily film program. For many years he has been professionally engaged in photography. He is currently earning his Bachelor's degree in Art History at the New Bulgarian University.