The first of four centres for accommodating parentless children opened doors in Asenovgrad, Bulgaria. The centre is part of the EU-funded programme for relocating parentless children from the existing foster homes to smaller, more home-like houses for 12 to 14 children, where the children will permanently live from as early as the age of 3 up to 18 and where each child will have his/hers own room for all these years, also a well equipped common kitchen where the children will prepare their own food, a big common dining room with a long table, seating everybody at meals, common and more private living areas and an open garden and playgrounds. Each centre has about 600 m2 gross covered area and its own plot of land of about 1000 m2.

The typology and project detailed design were prepared by the Bates Bulgaria design team led by architect Daniele Marinangeli in 2011-2012. Architects Tanja Kostova and Svetljo Todorov and engineers Nadezhda Ganeva and Marin Guergov participated in the project. The design features contemporary efficient functional schemes open semi-covered spaces, advanced low-energy consumption heating/cooling system, natural materials such as oak parquet and terracotta floors are mostly used in the interiors and energy-efficient ventilated façade, painted in lively colours and natural wood details are used to form the exterior.

The other three centres in Sliven, Bulgaria, are in advanced stage of construction and will open doors by April 2014.

The project is a good example of co-operation between the municipal authorities of the towns Asenovgrad and Sliven, the supervising team of the Ministry of Regional Developers of Bulgaria, the contractors and Bates.