Villa Eforia in Gabrovo is a project by IPA - Architecture and more for the restoration of Pencho Semov's summer villa and its surrounding park. Developed together with the investor PS Development EOOD, the project transforms the historic building into a contemporary cultural center open to the local community, visitors to the city, and international audiences. Villa Eforia forms part of Gabrovo's cultural memory and is being restored as a public building with a museum, event spaces, a park, a lake, and places for meetings, education, and cultural exchange.
The building was constructed between 1928 and 1933 to a design by Gabrovo architect Nikola Grablev as a four-story summer villa for industrialist, philanthropist, and public figure Pencho Semov. A park with an artificial lake and boats was created around the villa, while the building included a heated winter garden for various species of warmth-loving plants. The complex was conceived as a place for recreation, culture, and public life, bringing architecture, the natural environment, and a philanthropic idea together within a single concept.
A chapel dedicated to the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul was built on the lower level of the villa and remains unconsecrated. Its marble iconostasis was created by Czech sculptor Josef Shkvara and was notable for its craftsmanship and artistic value. After Pencho Semov's death, the iconostasis was dismantled and used for a memorial plaque to a local partisan. Part of it survived and was subsequently incorporated as a stair balustrade in a church.
Near the lake, within the foundations of the villa, a spring fountain was built whose walls still carry the mosaic inscription “Love, Work, Perseverance.” Pencho Semov adopted these words as a personal principle and transformed them into a symbol of the place he created. The motto remains an important conceptual element in the restoration of Villa Eforia and in the future cultural program of the complex.
Pencho Semov's intention was for the building, together with the park and lake, to become a charitable home for the elderly after his death. It was planned to accommodate 50 people, including 15 writers and journalists and 20 poor elderly people who had worked in his factories. The care and maintenance of these 35 residents was intended to be free for the remainder of their lives and equal to that provided to the wealthier residents of the home. In his 1928 will, Pencho Semov dedicated a large part of his movable and immovable property to charitable purposes.
Over the years, Villa Eforia passed through different functions and periods of use. The building hosted important delegations, including a delegation of the British Legion. In 1963, it was converted into an inpatient facility of the Regional Tuberculosis Hospital and later operated as an infectious diseases department until 2004. In 2007, when the building was already unoccupied, a fire destroyed the roof structure and left the lower floors exposed to prolonged weathering. These accumulated changes and damages form an important part of the context for the current restoration project.
The name Villa Eforia carries deep sentimental and social meaning. “Eforia” is associated with benevolence and public care and was significant to Pencho Semov himself. In 1928, he established his own foundation, Eforiata, to which he transferred part of his property. The villa passed through numerous historical stages, yet the idea that the place should serve people remained constant. Restoring it under the name Villa Eforia continues this original public mission.
The architectural concept by IPA - Architecture and more is based on respect for the authentic character of Villa Eforia and its surrounding park. The main building will be restored to its original architectural appearance and complemented by new public and cultural functions. The project combines contemporary architectural design with careful functional planning so that the historic value of the building can be preserved while the complex supports a contemporary cultural program.
The basement will accommodate a museum dedicated to Pencho Semov, while the Chapel of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul will be restored according to the original design. A small open-access library for shared use will also be provided, complementing the educational and cultural functions of the complex.
The ground floor will include three small rooms for crafts and arts, an exhibition hall, an art studio, and a meeting room for small-scale gatherings. These spaces are planned for cultural events, training sessions, workshops, exhibitions, and discussions. Villa Eforia will therefore connect the cultural heritage of the site with contemporary art, education, and public life.
The second floor will contain three guest rooms and a reception area for artists, lecturers, and special guests of the complex. The third floor is conceived as a multifunctional hall for gala dinners, exhibitions, and book presentations, while retaining the characteristic height and atmosphere of the roof space. The new program will allow the building to operate throughout the year and host different types of cultural and public events.
The park and lake will be restored as an integral part of the project. The plan includes event areas and an open-air stage, restoration of the existing walking paths, and new pedestrian connections. The fountain with its original stone table will be restored and incorporated as an exhibition element connected to the Pencho Semov museum, while the bridge beside the lake will also be restored. A children's playground is planned within the park, allowing the outdoor spaces to function as a natural extension of the villa's cultural program.
A new pavilion with a multifunctional hall will be built close to the main building for conferences, seminars, presentations, corporate meetings, cultural events, training sessions, and workshops. The complex will also include an administrative area, information center, ticket office, and visitor parking. These new functions are planned to support the sustainable management of the complex and its active use as a cultural center.
The mission of the project is to restore Villa Eforia while preserving its historical memory and public role. The work extends beyond the restoration of the building's appearance and structure to include its relationship with Pencho Semov's legacy and the different public functions it has served over time. During different periods, Villa Eforia has been a home, a place of care, a hospital building, and a public space. The new program continues this trajectory by developing the villa as a place for culture, memory, education, and encounters between generations.
