Façade panels in Travertine | Desia Ava Artist

For this project I was assigned the design of a series of bespoke facade panels in travertine stone. The client wanted a unique facade solution with a sculptural and artistic character. The concept was inspired by the site specifics of the building-in a close proximity to the city centre, the main facade facing the stone facade of the city post office. A unique location filled with archeological findings and history within the city of Plovdiv. The panels were to add unique touch to the design while connecting it more to the surrounding buildings.

Client: Trivium center, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Client's brief: Design a series of facade panels in travertine stone Material: Travertine stone
Manufacturing: Bulkam Decor, Sofia, Bulgaria

The project incorporates a sculptural approach in architecture to achieve a unique and timeless facade design. Each of the 18 panels for this project is designed to be mounted in 6 separate elements which divides and reduces the weight and facilitates the assembling process for the construction workers. The challenge I am seeking to address with my design is creatively working with natural materials (such as travertine stone) to create unique design solutions that are easy to manufacture within an industrial context. Doing artistic sculptural work where the carving of the stone is done via machine and not by hand is a more sustainable and quick solution to an otherwise artistic brief. Coming from both an architectural and artistic background, my aim was to incorporate new technological solutions to an artistic process.

The choice of natural material (Travertine) for the facade panels aims for quality and longevity of the design.
The quantity of the travertine blocks that have been ordered for this project has been calculated in a way that no materials go to waste. The travertine blocks have been shipped from our neighbour country (Turkey) minimising the environmental impact of transportation. The design of the travertine panels features one simple technique-stone carving. This same technique has been used during the entire process. The stone is left in its natural state-unfilled by any resins. The character of the travertine stone, being porous, has been cherished as small imperfections uncovered during the carving process have been perceived as the beauty of the natural stone and kept rather than discarded. One of the main requirement of the client-uniqueness-has been accomplish with the natural character of the stone in mind. The travertine facade panels have been designed with a strong consideration of the surrounding buildings. The 6 panel designs also come together are one singular main panel composition. The shapes of each panel are designed to dialogue with the shapes of the panel next to it and to form one single drawing.

Façade panels in Travertine

Bespoke façade panels in Travertine by Desia Ava for a newly built residential building in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Architecture

Year: 2023-2025

Photography @ Desia Ava