Varna Design Forum (VDF), a non-profit organization works for the benefit of the public, through the real deeds of practicing designers, architects, teachers and students, journalists, lawyers, cultural activists, supports the candidature of Varna for European Capital of Culture 2019, and promotes an even more-ambitious idea of Varna becoming a World Capital of Design.
In the end of July this year VDF became the main organizer of architectural design workshop “ARCH+” for digital innovative training and creation of a real product – a design bench for urban environment. The creators called it “RENCH” (Red bENCH), for short, and gave it to Varna as a present for the traditional Holiday of the city – on August 15th, 2014.
The organic shape of the bench is a bow to the great designer – nature, and reflects the modern attitude towards comfort of use. It is created entirely by digital innovative means. This is a digitally designed form, made by concrete specially produced for it, colored in red and cast into digitally generated formwork, made by computer controlled (CNC) machines.
The workshop is performed and directly managed by graduates of IAAC – Barcelona, the architects Hristo Topchiev and Emil Burulyanov, who are keynote speakers and lecturers at the seminar stage of the event. In this year’s edition participants are students from VFU “Ch.Hrabar” – Varna, VSU “L. Karavelov” – Sofia, UACEG – Sofia, TU – Varna, TU-Graz – Austria and Coventry University – England, and assistants are former students who have already participated in previous editions of the workshop – the architects Yoana Atanasova, Ivan Palazov and Dimitar Kiosev.
The initiative for creating the first in the country innovatively made design product includes managers of different companies as well, who helped by: means (Ivailo Petkov / Stroy Sped), a hall for the event (Toshko Ghiaurov / Festival and Congress Center – Varna) and concrete specifically made for the bench (Eng. Georgi Ivanov / Devnia Trade).
The “ARCH +” was also attended by the Chief Architect of the Municipality of Varna – Arch. Victor Buzev, who handed in the certificates for participation to the students at the closure of the event, he provided a special place in the Sea Garden of Varna for the bench and assured the team that he is ready to assist in the experimental activity.
Varna Design Forum launched a series of initiatives for improving the urban environment and nature of Varna and the region, being aware of their exceptional resources and relying on the support of the public and the institutions in the pursuit of reaching the highest standards for the title of “World Design Capital”.