Simeon 131 is a residential building designed by IPA - Architecture and more, located at 131 Tsar Simeon Street in the Vazrazhdane district of central Sofia. Its location is one of the project's key advantages, close to St. Nikola Park, schools and commercial amenities, and within walking distance of Sofia's historic yellow paving stones. The area offers good transport accessibility and convenient connections to the metro and surface public transport.
The architectural concept draws inspiration from the cultural context and spirit of Old Sofia. The brick facades of emblematic early 20th-century Sofia houses, such as the Sirak Skitnik House near Borisova Garden, are reinterpreted and adapted into a contemporary architectural language. Brick is used as the primary material on the lower floors, conveying a sense of permanence, warmth and connection to place. On the upper, terraced levels, a visually lighter material articulates the volumes vertically and enriches the building's silhouette.
One of the main challenges for IPA - Architecture and more was the predefined urban planning framework, which imposed specific constraints. The building had to be developed as two distinctly articulated volumes: a larger one facing Tsar Simeon Street and a considerably smaller one, less than six meters wide, facing Strandzha Street. The architectural solution introduces stepped setbacks on the upper levels of the larger volume to reduce overshadowing of the buildings across the street. The volume facing Strandzha Street is designed at a scale characteristic of a small urban house.
Another defining feature of Simeon 131 is its landscaped environment. Few residential developments in central Sofia can offer a private inner courtyard covering more than 1,000 sq m. The courtyard is designed as a shared green space with areas for relaxation, walking and children's playgrounds. Some apartments overlook the courtyard, while others benefit from private gardens separated from the communal space through landscaping.
The ground floor facing Tsar Simeon Street accommodates public-facing functions. Vehicular access and entrances to the underground garages are located along secondary streets, freeing up the inner courtyard and reducing traffic within the development. Facade materials are also carried through into the shared interior spaces, creating a continuous architectural language and a natural transition between exterior and interior.
The building offers a range of apartment types, from studios and one- and two-bedroom residences to larger apartments on the upper floors with spacious terraces. The architectural design prioritizes natural daylight, functional layouts and clearly organized interior spaces to create comfortable homes suited to everyday living.
Simeon 131 brings together its architectural concept, urban planning requirements and material choices in a clear and coherent design approach. The project reflects careful attention to detail, scale, urban context and the needs of its future residents.
