IAWA Jana Pencheva-Vulchanova Inventory

IAWA

CAUS

Jana Pencheva-Vulchanova
Architectural Drawings, 1980-1999

Ms2000-002

BIOGRAPHY

Jana (Zhana) Pencheva-Vulchanova was born 19 June 1947 in the town Sliven, Hungary, where she graduated from high school (1965) with honors. From 1964-1970 she studied architecture at Sofia Polytechnic. She began working (1971-73) in Putproekt, the design organization of Sofia's administration of roads. During this time she designed several facilities, a motel in Ledenika, at the edge of Sofia, which has not been built, a technical school for construction workers in the town Mikhailovgrad, a vacation hotel that she designed in team with architect Tikholov, and housing for construction workers, also never built. In 1973 she transferred to Sofproekt, working first in the department for Sofia's master plan, and becoming the head of a studio in the department for Highways, in 1975.

Beginning in 1978 Vulchanova became involved in the planning and design of the neighborhood surrounding the National Palace of Culture. She designed shops on the bordering streets, including a cafeteria, winecellar and two bars, pedestrian passageways with commercial facilities and underground transportation facilities. In 1980, she became the head designer for the underground commercial center (7,500 sq. meters or 75,000-sq. ft. area) south of the Palace of Culture. This was built under the crossing of two major boulevards, "Bulgaria" and Fritjof Nansen". Construction proceeded very slowly due to the heavy traffic circulation at the crossroads above. Some of the stores opened only in the 1990's.

Meanwhile Vulchanova designed several pedestrian passageways under major urban arteries, many of them with commercial facilities such as coffee shops, flower shops, liquor stores, etc.

In 1984, she became head designer for another underground shopping center at the beginning of a new tramway connecting the city center with several large housing neighborhoods at the periphery ("Mladost", "Durvenitsa", and "Iztok"). This terminal was located underground close to the beginning of the large park in Sofia. The design included commercial spaces and entertainment covering 12,000 sq. meters (120,000 sq. ft). In 1985 when all the interior details were ready and construction began, the project was stopped for lack of funds.

Jana (Zhana) Pencheva -Vulchanova's projects have been publicized in architectural periodicals and in the press. She has received the award of the Union of Architects in Bulgaria for her creative achievements in architecture and the golden Order of Labor for her contributions to urban design.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Jana (Zhana) Pencheva-Vulchanova Architectural Drawings consists of 24 architectural drawings, 11 photocopies of drawings, photographs and newspaper clippings.

This collection documents her activity in designing underground commercial centers. The material contains, seven projects regarding the design of neighborhood surroundings in Sofia, Bulgaria from 1980-1993.

The activity of Jana (Zhana) Pencheva-Vulchanova as an architectural designer covers a broad area of interests. She has experience designing several kinds of facilities, such as hotels, schools and residential housing. This part of her design activity is not documented in the collection. She has a great deal of experience in designing several underground commercial centers and pedestrian passageways located at tramway terminals and at crossing of boulevards. She, in fact, seems to have specialized in the design of facilities and neighborhood surroundings located at critical areas of the city.

One of the most documented projects she has been involved with, related to this area of design, is the one for an Underground commercial center and pedestrian passageway located south of the Palace of Culture, under the crossing of Boulevard Bulgaria and Nansen, Sofia. This project is represented in this collection by 10 prints (1987-93), that document this design with floor plans and sections, details of the interior design and design specification.

PROVENANCE

The material in the collection was donated in the summer of 1999 by Jana (Zhana) Pencheva-Vulchanova by way of Milka Bliznakov to the International Archive of Women in Architecture housed in the Special Collections Department of the University Libraries of Virginia Tech.

NOTE TO RESEARCHERS

Most of the material is in Hungarian language.
For more information about by Jana Pencheva-Vulchanova see:Tania Chervenkova, "Purvata stantsiia na padzemniia tramvai" (The first station of the underground subway), Vecherni Novini (Evening News), 100, 26 April 1985, p. 1-3.

INVENTORY

Box: Contents:

1 Jana (Zhana) Pencheva-Vulchanova curriculum vitae (3 pages); 1983--Award for her contributions to creative architecture from the Union of Architects in Bulgaria; 1999-Certificate of membership of the CAB (qualification for architectural practice); Video of television interview of Vulchanova (European VHS)

2 1980-1995-Underground commercial center and pedestrian passageway south of the Palace of Culture, under the crossing of Boulevard Bulgaria and Nansen, Sofia.

Prints dated 1987-1993

View of construction and site plan

Plan of the underground facilities (scale 1:250)

Plan of the outdoor terraces

1987- Plan and transversal section of the cafeteria (scale 1:50)

1992-Plan and transversal section of a wine cellar (scale 1:20)

1992-Transversal sections of the wine cellar (scale 1:20)

Design details for a table of the wine cellar (scale 1:3, 1:2, 1:1)

1992-Plan of the clothing store

1992-details of the interiors design, prospects (scale 1:20)

1993-details of the interiors design, plan and prospects (scale 1:20)

1995-plans of interior design of the bar

Miscellaneous photos of shops (boutique), jewelry and cosmetics

1985, May 18-Newspaper article (it states that construction is progressing and completion is expected in few months

1980's--Design specifications

(6) Drawings (ink on lucid paper)

1983-(2 drawings) Floor plan design of tiles pattern in the coffee shop (scale 1:20)

1983-(3 drawings)Design for wall and floor tiles in public toilets (scale 1:20)

1988-Construction details for door installation (scale 1:1)

3 1980's-Design and construction of a pedestrian passageway under Boian Magesnik Str. And Botevgrad Highway, Sofia
Transversal sections (scale 1:100)

(2) Site general plan (scale 1:200)

Transversal sections (scale 1:100)

4 1983-Design of a Pedestrian passageway and commercial facilities onBotevgrad Highway intersection with Oborishte and Kabakchiev street
Plan of the underground level, with cafeteria, game rooms and shops (scale 1:200)

(5) Blueprints, details for metal doors

5 1984-85-Design program for the pedestrian passageway under the crossing of boulevards Evtimii, Skobelev, Khristo Botev, and Prague
Design report

General plan at street level (scale 1:200, 1:500)

1st Option for the design of the plan (scale 1:200)

2nd Option for the design of the plan (scale 1:200)

6 1984-85-Design for underground commercial facilities and pedestrian passageway at the tramway terminal at the crossing of boulevard Bulgaria, Graf Ignatiev, and Dr. Tsankov streets, Sofia (project not completed)
(4 drawings) Floor plan (scale 1:500)

(2 drawings) Floor plan (scale 1:200)

1985 (April 26)-Newspaper article about Jana (Zhana) Pencheva-Vulchanova's design for the underground commercial facilities at the tramway terminal at the crossing of Boulevard Bulgaria and Graf Ignatives, Sofia (with a section of the project)

7 1985-Design for a pedestrian passageway with commercial facilities leading from the Central Railroad station to Rakovski Street, Sofia (non-executed project)
1986-Construction details for the ventilation grill (scale 1:1, 1:10)

Transversal section (scale 1:100)

Floor plan street level (scale 1:100)

Details of the underground passageways (scale 1:100, 1:500)

Processed by: Susan Conway, August 2001