Through the stories of people living in Student City, Asya Petkova, Maria Getova, and Ana-Maria Molnar map the many faces of the neighborhood—originally planned during socialism for newly arrived students. Does Student City still remain a space for youth, or has it gradually turned into a home for all generations, beginning to resemble any other district in the capital? What are the places its residents cherish, and what challenges do they face in their daily lives?
The Shiny Sexy—a random sign on a random shop in Student City—inspires the image of Sofia’s youngest neighborhood. A place where every wall is plastered with posters advertising chalga singers, where billboards blind you with color, and the smell of döner kebab hangs on every corner near nightclubs. But also where kindergartens face lingerie stores, public laundromats are next to every dormitory, and an ice rink stands across from a produce market.
The Shiny Sexy: Heterotopias in Student City explores the neighborhood through its heterotopias—spaces where overlapping functions bring together people with different paths. The team—an architect, a poet, and a photographer—will guide you on a walk through the area, tracing the imaginary map shaped by its inhabitants. A journey from palace to palace, revealing hidden treasures, fantastic characters, and their stories.