Leading Architectural Studios Shortlisted For Design Of Government Centre

The Regional Development and Public Works Ministry has short-listed six architectural studios for the design of a Government centre, meant to rise on the area near the sixth km of the Tsarigradsko Chaussee Boulevard in Sofia, Dnevnik daily reported.Out of 19 applicants, the ministry's short-list includes Foster+Partners, a London-based firm led by world-renown architect Norman Foster, who has another project in Bulgaria working with architect Georgii Stanishev, brother to Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev. The others are Zaha Hadid Architects, French studio Dominique Perrault Architecture, Obedinenie G-3, the studio of Bulgarian architect Georgi Stoilov, Italian studio Massimiliano Fuksas Architetto and consortium ADAIS proekt with Stoilov presiding over 18 companies involved in design, construction and planning.The selected six studios need to present their initial concepts by February 2009. Their projects will be evaluated by an international jury, which will choose one firm to be commissioned with the design.The Government centre would spread on 60ha, and the initial plans envision the construction of administrative buildings, hotels, residences for diplomats and sports centres.Meant to be carried out as public-private partnership, the Government would seek investors that would fund the costs of the project. Instead, the investors would be given the right to build offices and shopping centres on sections of the same plot.