History of panel construction in Bulgaria
After 1945, Bulgaria underwent rapid industrialization, prompting large numbers of people to move from villages to nearby cities. Until then, traditional construction consisted of monolithic 4-5 story buildings, which could not be built quickly enough, necessitating the development of an accelerated and already tested construction method.
The history of panel construction began in the suburbs of New York City (USA) at the beginning of the 20th century. In Europe, the first countries to adopt this construction method were the United Kingdom and Germany.
In 1958, panel construction began in Bulgaria. The first panel block in Bulgaria is located in Sofia on Naycho Tsanov Street 66, with the panels for its construction produced the previous year. Soon after, experimental construction of three- and four-story panel buildings began, initiated by the Regional Design Organization in Ruse.
The construction panels consist of a framework of reinforcement bars covered with concrete. They serve various functions and types – floor, wall, and facade panels (the latter do not have a load-bearing function). They are manufactured in house-building plants (more than 30 across Bulgaria) and transported to the construction site by panel trucks. Cranes lift them, and they are assembled by welding the steel elements protruding from the panels to those of other panels. The joints are then filled with various concrete mixtures and hermetically sealed with elastic material.
The blocks are categorized by series – so-called nomenclatures. All panels within a single nomenclature are identical, but the nomenclatures differ from each other. Sometimes separate series are developed for different cities. Each new nomenclature improves the layout of spaces within the block.
Many believe that panel blocks are unsafe during seismic events. However, this is far from the truth. The philosophy behind these buildings is akin to a Lego set, with welded steel components within the elements preventing catastrophic destruction during an earthquake.
Unfortunately, panel blocks are not very energy efficient, but they are subject to energy upgrades. Bulgaria has adopted a National Strategy through 2030 with ambitious goals for measures to increase energy efficiency and upgrade buildings.
One should also not overlook the very good and functional layout of living spaces in panel apartments. With proper renovation, panel complexes in major cities can become more desirable places to live due to their wider inter-block spaces compared to new neighborhoods, where overbuilding is often observed.
When it comes to purchasing property built with panel technology, buyers have many conflicting opinions. Some prefer it for its real square footage, while others fear that the property will lose its value over time. Like any construction type, this one has its pros and cons.
Understanding and recognizing this type of construction is an opportunity to reconcile with history and transition to the present, and perhaps to the future.
