I Love Vitosha - Project Story

For me, Vitosha is the most fascinating and vital natural feature associated with Sofia. It is both a natural treasure and a living environment. I wake up every morning to its silhouette outside my window and draw energy from the changing light and seasons across its slopes.

The idea for a porcelain vase emerged from this personal connection with the mountain. Based on a section of Vitosha and its terrain, Vase Vitosha is a metaphor for our connection with nature - an object that brings a small part of the mountain and the beauty of plants into the interior.

Since the silhouette of Vitosha changes depending on where it is viewed from, I could not refer to a single, representative silhouette of the mountain. I therefore used a topographic map as the reference for selecting the particular section.

The contour lines of the map were simplified and transformed into horizontal levels to construct the form, using the principle of relief maps in a more abstract and simplified way. The resulting vector graphics provided the basis for a 3D model, which was then 3D-printed.

For this stage of the design process, I collaborated with B2N, creating the prototype in ABS plastic. The material allows for precise printing, repeated use and easy storage of the prototype.

Plaster was used to make the moulds, while the final vase was made by us in porcelain using the traditional slip-casting technique in the tochka & tochka studio. We take care of the entire process ourselves, from the initial design and prototyping to casting, finishing and the design of the packaging.

A little more about the creating process.

Vase Vitosha was part of the exhibitions “София за вкъщи” (Take Away Sofia), a project by Studio Komplekt from 2016. Take Away Sofia redefines the identity of the Bulgarian souvenir and expands the notion of it through new design objects.