When my guest for this interview came in such an outlandish vehicle, I was immediately intrigued, says Radio Bulgaria’s Luisa Lazarova. It was an electric longboard he himself had designed with the help of colleagues, which he says could well be the vehicle of the future. The young man is called Yassen Jabirov and he may already be known to the public for his projects Sofia from a bird’s eye view and 16 places of worship in Sofia seen from above. So, I said to myself that his latest project – Art on Sofia’s rooftops would be too good to pass up.

The compilation of drone-captured photographs shows that in the hustle and bustle of city life the beautiful places in the city we live in are all too easy to miss. The photographs show different sculptures, clocks and figures on the rooftops of Sofia’s buildings. Some of them we admire every day but there are others we have never noticed and would be hard put to recognize. Most are European-style buildings because many of the architects who designed them studied abroad and then carried their knowledge over to Bulgaria. Here is Yassen with more about the idea and how the project came about:

“One of my favoruite hobbies is street photography. While I was walking around Sofia taking photographs I noticed these buildings. What they all had in common was their lavish ornamentation – baroque and secession. When I started looking into their history I found they were all built around 1920 by one group of contemporary architects. I can definitely say that the building that impressed me most was the one on the corner of Ivan Vazov Street and Rakovski Street – a bank building with a composition on the roof of human figures supporting a globe.”

One thing is certain – it is no easy thing capturing the moment for a perfect photograph:

“The most difficult thing of all is to catch the right light, the best weather, otherwise the buildings are there,” says Yassen and adds: “I always want to capture a bit of blue sky with clouds. Good light is important when I take shots of any ornament. I have gone back to the same place over and over again until the weather and the conditions are right.”

The young enthusiast is planning a project that is quite different – presenting the places in Sofia that are not all that beautiful, like industrial zones and rundown neighbourhoods. The aim of the project will be to show the city’s real face on video. What the public reaction to the project revealing the ugly face of Sofia will be, is yet to be seen but one thing is certain – Art on Sofia’s rooftops is extremely popular:

“Public reaction on Facebook is really interesting. There have been all kinds of comments, including by heirs to the owners of the buildings who write me to tell me their personal stories. But all people seem to agree that it is more difficult to notice beauty when it is high up, on top of a building. It is surprising to see how much money and effort was once invested in decorating the roofs of buildings, knowing that they will remain hidden from view. It is only now we are able to take a close look,” Yassen says.

The other project Yassen Jabirov has been putting the finishing touches to, together with a co-worker – the electric longboard – is bound to win people’s hearts, he says. The innovative urban mobility vehicle is capable of a speed of up to 45 km/h and is operated by remote control. The longboard is light and portable and can be used on cycleways.

English version: Milena Daynova