The Gate Gardens and Terminal 2 Interior Redevelopment Project at Varna Airport and Burgas Airport, with investor Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, has been awarded in the national Building of the Year 2025 competition in the Strategic Transport Infrastructure category.  The distinction represents one of the highest and most authoritative recognitions in the fields of investment projects, architecture, and construction in Bulgaria.

The award was received by  Aleksandar  Georgiev, Head of Planning, Engineering and Design Department at Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, during an official ceremony held in Sofia, attended by representatives of public institutions, the professional community, and leading companies from the sector.

The Gate Gardens project represents a unique European concept of an “open terminal”, integrating outdoor green spaces into airport infrastructure. The project was implemented in parallel with a comprehensive internal functional and architectural redevelopment of Terminal 2 at both coastal airports. The concept responds to the new operational requirements for terminal infrastructure resulting from the Republic of Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area.

The primary objective of the projects was the clear and seamless separation of passenger flows for Schengen and non-Schengen destinations, combined with a fully renewed commercial concept developed in partnership with our commercial partners Nuance BG (part of the Avolta Group) and Lagardère Travel Retail. The scope of design and construction, involving specialists from Germany, Spain, France, and Bulgaria, exceeds 4,000 sq. m. at Varna Airport and reaches nearly 5,000 sq.  m.  at Burgas Airport. The implemented solutions enable the reconfiguration of building zones, allowing for the optimization of the built-up area.

The Gate Gardens at Varna and Burgas are designed as a natural extension of the terminal buildings, combining operational areas, gates, and commercial spaces with a carefully shaped natural environment. This approach is atypical for traditional airport infrastructure. The implementation was carried out under continuous 24/7 airport operations, with precise phasing and without compromising normal operations, security, or passenger safety.

The result is a significant increase in operational capacity and flexibility at both airports, enabling rapid adaptation to peak loads typical of charter traffic. The project sets new sustainability standards in the development of modern infrastructure and delivers an unprecedented passenger experience in Europe, without equivalent on the continent.

The award recognizes not only the architectural and engineering quality of the project, but also the long-term vision and investment policy of the concessionaire of Varna Airport and Burgas Airport, focused on modernization, sustainable development, and responsible management of key public infrastructure.

Michael Reusch, Chief Executive Officer of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, commented:  “This award is a recognition of our long-term commitment to developing Varna and Burgas airports as modern, flexible, and sustainable infrastructure, oriented toward the real needs of passengers and airlines. With the Gate Gardens project, we demonstrate that an airport terminal can be more than a transit space. It can offer quality of environment, operational efficiency, and adaptability to new requirements, including those arising from Bulgaria’s membership in the Schengen Area.”

Aleksandar Georgiev, Head of Planning, Engineering and Design Department at Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, stated:  “The best solutions are those that simplify complexity. The concept builds upon established practices, transforming transport infrastructure into an environment that is not only used, but experienced  - a  place where people choose to stay.”

The Building of the Year 2025 award further reinforces the position of Gate Gardens as an emblematic infrastructure project that places Varna Airport and Burgas Airport among the leading European examples of innovative, sustainable, and passenger-oriented airport terminals.

The Gate Gardens project was developed with Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD as investor, Energoproekt AD and Quadrant A  OOD  as architects, and Technoimportexport AD as the main contractor.

About the Building of the Year Competition:

Established in 2002, the national Building of the Year competition has become the most prestigious forum for recognizing excellence in investment projects, architecture, and construction in Bulgaria. It is an event that not only awards achievements, but also defines the standards for quality, sustainability, and aesthetics in the development of the modern built environment.