The Gate Gardens and Terminal 2 Interior Redevelopment Project at Varna Airport and Burgas Airport has received the Building of the Year 2025 award in Bulgaria, recognized in the Strategic Transport Infrastructure category. The project was led by Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, which serves as the concessionaire for both airports according to its official website.
Aleksandar Georgiev, Head of Planning, Engineering and Design Department at Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, accepted the award during a ceremony in Sofia attended by public officials and industry representatives.
The Gate Gardens project introduces an “open terminal” concept that integrates outdoor green spaces into airport infrastructure. This redevelopment took place alongside comprehensive internal changes to Terminal 2 at both airports. The project was developed to meet new operational requirements following Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area.
A key goal of the redevelopment was to separate passenger flows for Schengen and non-Schengen destinations while renewing commercial areas in partnership with Nuance BG (part of Avolta Group) and Lagardère Travel Retail. The design and construction covered more than 4,000 square meters at Varna Airport and nearly 5,000 square meters at Burgas Airport, involving specialists from Germany, Spain, France, and Bulgaria.
Fraport Bulgaria operates Varna Airport in northeastern Bulgaria and Burgas Airport in southeastern Bulgaria according to its official website. Both airports serve as gateways to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast with connections across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa according to company information. In a recent year, Fraport Bulgaria handled over 3.4 million passengers on more than 25,000 flights by 73 airlines serving 146 destinations the company reports.
The Gate Gardens were designed as extensions of the terminals combining operational areas with commercial spaces set within landscaped environments. Construction occurred without disrupting ongoing airport operations or compromising safety.
The completed project increases operational capacity and flexibility at both airports. It allows for rapid adaptation during peak charter traffic periods. According to Fraport Bulgaria’s official statements, these efforts are part of ongoing work to modernize airport infrastructure and improve service quality as described on their website.
Michael Reusch, Chief Executive Officer of Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD, said: “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 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.”
Fraport Twin Star Airport Management AD acted as investor on this project; Energoproekt AD and Quadrant A OOD were architects; Technoimportexport AD served as main contractor.
Established in 2002, the Building of the Year competition is regarded as one of Bulgaria’s leading forums recognizing excellence in investment projects related to architecture and construction.
