Sofia Climate Sandbox Workshop

Open air co-working space for civil society organizations, heat asylum for the community, community vegetable garden, community rain collectors, seating area with tables and board games, a demonstration site showcasing urban heat islands mitigation measures, yard art residency and environment civic education classroom – these are just some of the co-creation ideas how to transform a neglected municipal yard on 55 Veslets Street, Sofia. This Climate sandbox workshop was organized by Sofia Development Association and Bureau for Integration and Social Innovations in the framework of Be Ready project. It brought together a variety of stakeholders to design together a road map for Sofia pilot project implementation.

The pilot venue is selected to be in area of Lavov most (‘Lion’s Bridge’), one of the major crossroads in Sofia, in Draz mahala, close to the central railway station and central bus station. The pilot implementation, aiming to create a climate refuge from the urban heat islands, will start in July 2025, using the participative approach of its ideation and co-creation of the urban environment.