Sofia’s central bus station is a unique city landmark

Completed in June 2004, Sofia’s Central Bus Station is the most important transit hub in Bulgaria, a primary interchange for national and regional transport that occupies a total floor space of more than 7,000 square metres. An imposing building with a large, dramatic transparent glass façade, it was designed by architect Atanas Panov from the Sofia-based practice LP Group, who commented: “Our aim was to create a rational and functional layout for passenger flows while at the same time establishing a clear yet unobtrusive architectural identity.” Located just east of the central railway station square, the central bus station stands out for its clearly organised pedestrian and bus traffic and serves as a highly distinctive landmark not just for the surrounding area but for the city as a whole. “During the development period there were no important buildings in the immediate vicinity, so we tried to create a proposal that would set the tone for the site,” continued the architect. The main challenge “was to develop the building in such a way as to fully exploit the site’s potential”. Its shape is that of a vertically extruded circular segment whose flat side faces southwest onto Alexander Malinov Boulevard, “a flexible, fluid space that adapts to evolving needs thanks to its ability to accommodate ever-changing functions”. The sides of the building are clad with an energy-efficient ventilated ceramic façade system, while the rest of the building is entirely enclosed in a continuous glazed wall, a choice determined by the fact that “we wanted to allow as much natural light as possible into the spaces”, explains the architect. The building consists of a basement and five above-ground levels. The ground floor and mezzanine level are devoted to the passenger zone and include waiting areas, ticket offices, luggage storage, restaurants and sales outlets, while the top three floors accommodate twelve leased offices occupied mainly by travel agencies. The recently renovated first floor houses a restaurant, a cafeteria, a casino and a bookshop. Fondovalle was chosen as the main supplier of ceramic floor tiles for the renovation project, delivering 3,000 square metres of Portland series 80×80 cm porcelain tiles in the colours Helen and Lassen. This material combines unique aesthetics with outstanding technical performance, including resistance to wear and foot traffic, ease of cleaning and durability, making it ideal for personalising spaces and ensuring that passengers have a comfortable and enjoyable experience.