rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria

unformed design’s competition-winning ground of descent transforms a long-vacant excavation site in burgas, bulgaria, into a subterranean contemporary art complex enclosed by terraced public gardens.

UNFORMED edited by christina vergopoulou October 21, 2026 3 min

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SUBTERRANEAN ART COMPLEX EMBEDDED IN BURGAS EXCAVATION VOID

Designed by UNFORMED DESIGN, Ground of Descent won first prize among 145 international entries in the Park Zone 3 competition organized by the Municipality of Burgas and the Burgas 2032 Foundation. The proposal transforms a long-abandoned central excavation, ‘The Hole,’ into a multi-layered public landscape and contemporary art center. Rather than backfilling the site or erecting a large above-ground structure, the design preserves the legibility of the void, embedding the majority of the cultural program below street level to retain surrounding city views and establish a continuous public descent.

rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria - 1 — terraces, gardens, and the elevated cultural cube transform ‘The Hole’ into a vibrant civic landscape | all images ©UNFORMED DESIGN

STRATIFIED RAMMED CONCRETE CUBE ACTS AS AN URBAN MARKER

The project by UNFORMED DESIGN Studio connects to the surrounding urban fabric through two primary descending routes. From Troikata Square, a geometric garden featuring terraced planting, patterned paving, and broad staircases guides pedestrian traffic down into the sunken site. A second access route along San Stefano Boulevard links the lower-level public park into daily pedestrian circulation. The subterranean programmatic layout arranges exhibition galleries, educational facilities, artist studios, workshops, and gathering areas around sunken courtyards and vertical light wells, bringing natural daylight into the underground spaces.

rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria - 2 — perspective view from the upper park level, looking toward the project and the sunken cultural spaces beneath the landscape

SUNKEN COURTYARDS AND TERRACES GUIDE PEDESTRIAN FLOW

The only above-ground structure is a compact, minimalist concrete cube positioned along San Stefano Boulevard to serve as an urban marker. The interior of the cube houses a primary exhibition hall featuring a ten-meter ceiling height illuminated by overhead skylights with integrated blackout systems. The lower administrative levels connect directly to vertical circulation cores that lead down into the main subterranean complex. Materially, the project utilizes exposed reinforced concrete retaining walls, with exterior facades finished in stratified rammed concrete that mirrors the geological layers of the original excavation site.

rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria - 3 — perspective view of the intermediate sunken platform, illustrating the open gathering space and its connection to the levels above and below

rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria - 4 — perspective view from the descending steps along San Stefano Boulevard, showing the approach toward the main cultural entrance

rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria - 5 — interior view from the cultural level at the hole level, looking toward the central sunken courtyard

rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria - 6 — interior view inside the main hall (Exhibition Configuration)

rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria - 7 — perspective view from the sunken sculpture garden at the hole level, showing the landscaped paths and outdoor artworks

rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria - 8 — perspective view from the hole level in the linear void space dedicated to the artists’ block, showing the intimate outdoor area

rammed concrete cube and terraced gardens define sunken art center proposal in bulgaria - 9 — interior view from the cultural level at the central sunken courtyard

masterplan sections maquette massing view showing the integration of the sunken cultural landscape within the urban fabric of Burgas

project info:

name: Ground of Descent – Space for Contemporary Art and Culture, PARK ZONE 3
architect: UNFORMED DESIGN | @unformedesign

location: Burgas, Bulgaria

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