Location: Sofia
Status: Completed, 2006
Client: Cinema City, Aviv Group
Total Built-up area: 75.000 m²
Located in the city centre, Mall of Sofia is one of the very first modern shopping centres in Bulgaria. The project is impressive in its scale and vision, offering an innovative concept of urban living, leisure, retailing and working. It is a mixed-use development, which provides fully air-conditioned and comfortable shopping and recreation area on three floors. There is also a five-storey office building and three underground parking floors.
The mall is divided into two parts - straight and curved mall. This makes the best use of the available area and provides continuity of the walking paths, visibility of shop fronts and easy orientation for visitors. There is a movie complex, a food court and a restaurant on the top floor of the shopping centre. The Cinema City Multiplex consists of 12 cinema halls and the first IMAX cinema in the country, designed by the most prominent specialists. The retail area is extended below the ground with a supermarket and many other shops organised around a small secondary mall. The natural skylight, well-illuminated shop fronts, bridges and escalators create a warm and comfortable interior space.
The façades reflect the functional organisation of the building. The retail façades are clad with red ceramic tiles and transparent glass that allows shoppers to see the street, and vice versa. Full height glazed façades provide a beautiful view of the streets that is visible from the sitting area of the food court and the restaurant. The horizontal strips of the Office tower reinforce the linear perspective of the building.
The design of Mall of Sofia is a result of the co-operation between Studio 17,5 and MYS Architects. In 2006 the project was nominated for Building of the Year.
