The urban life in some areas of the city of Sofia exhibits a duality of character, most visible in the exteriors of its buildings. On one side, there is the ground-floor commercial zone, which in many cases appears almost unattractive and purely pragmatic, shaped by the needs of the businesses that occupy it. This often includes the integration of various functional windows for selling products or managing logistics, as well as the addition of shades or canopies bearing different logos, with little consideration for the overall aesthetic or maintenance of the façade.
On the other side, the floors above of the same buildings present a striking contrast. They preserve a sense of beauty and continuity, reflecting the architectural narrative of a bygone era. These upper levels follow an ideal Central European style, characteristic of a time when the city was experiencing architectural prosperity. The result is an agglomeration of urban everyday elements working by themselves with the vacant occupancy of architectural aesthetic that is barely visible and waiting to fall apart piece by piece.
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The building I have drawn represents precisely this kind of urban duality. It stands along a busy boulevard, where passersby rarely notice these neglected yet beautiful, decaying structures, often valued only for their ground-floor diners or affordable stores, while the upper levels remain unused or vacant.
The drawing engages directly with the building’s state of decay by tracing and extending the character of the voids formed between cracks and fragmented surfaces. The first layer captures the immediate moment: the photograph in its full color, brightness, and vitality. The second layer introduces a backdrop, acting almost like a curtain that creates a virtual space in which the upper layers of urbanity can emerge.
The third layer defines the dimensionality of the voids, those areas where the façade has lost its original character and integrity. The final layer conveys the pure narrative of what remains above these voids: something temporal, suspended, and quietly awaiting its eventual collapse.
Together, these layers represent different states of life and form, expressing the organic condition of this moment in time.
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Process video:
Process video:
The piece is a drawing collage that was made with ink on mylar and polyester layers. The photograph used for the collage was made and printed by the author.
Dimensions: 305x 420 mm (partially cut post-production)
Dimensions: 305x 420 mm (partially cut post-production)
