Our idea is to transform District 6 into Home 6 with its open air rooms - kitchen, living-room, libray, kids’ room, etc.The neighborhod will be furnished with art installations and become shared spaces for all the neighbours, residents and artist. Each open room will have own Social life. The project focal point is that it unites not only the current neighbours in the District but also new ones: craftsmen, artists, architects, retailers, etc., to develop a new visual concept of the location

Gabrovo, Bulgaria

District 6 is the oldest part in the city of Gabrovo. It is located in the city centre, dating back to 18th cent. when it was populated by craftsmen and traders. Today, most of the buildings there are privately owned. Some of them are completely deserted, others - partly used. One can find here restaurants and cafes, but rarely shops or other small businesses.
Our goal is to support the public authorities to turn the district into the lively and thriving place it used to be. Our greatest challenge - to evoke architectural and social cohesion by means of an artistic concept; to make the “sad neighbours” in the District start communicating and working together on a new visual identity of their Home 6; to create a good neighbouring and networking model.

We have identified the following target groups:
• The local community consisting of:
- Creators, artists, innovative young people, who need places for manifestation of their skills and talents;
-The residents of District 6 who would like to feel the long-gone pulse of the place and to inhabit lively and colorful streets again;
- The local existing businesses that need inspiration and the potential ones that could establish in District 6.
• Residents and visitors in the city of Gabrovo
• Organisations that need space and hub for networking

1. Neighborhood design networking: Designers, architects, artists, local residents and businesses, the public authority will participate in design planning sessions to elaborate the visual and special concept of Home 6. They will discuss on the artistic outlook of the spaces (the rooms of Home 6), as well as on the events they could host. We also plan “Neighborhood talks” – discussions and meetings of local stakeholders in the open spaces of District 6, who would also be able (by a means of a media wall) to exchange ideas with other European neighborhoods which have already undergone similar transformations.
2. Establishment of a hub: a neighborhood shared space or “Office of good neighbors” for networking activities, meetings, joint initiatives.
3. Establishment of the first "rooms"/art installations in Home 6:
- “The Door”: a symbolic entrance to Home 6;
- “The Kitchen”: it will be located in the open spaces by the Hub and will be used for hosting culinary events, talks on healthy food, presentations of traditional recipes, social cooking...
4. Storytelling: colecting of personal stories and interesting facts about District 6 dating back to different periods. As a result,these stories will be presented by local artists as Storywalker product for street stages
5. Neighborhood refresh and street branding by local artist

As a result of the project implementation we expect to achieve:
• Establishment of cross-sectoral partnerships among the project participants: local residents, artist, creators, local business, NGO organizations and the local public authority;
• Increase of the level of citizens’ participation and involvement;
• Elaboration of a visual identity of Home 6;
• Establishment of a hub of Home 6 as a key space for joint initiatives and networking;
• Realization of 3 media campaigns;
• Establishment of an attractive environment for creators and businesses;
• Elaboration of a creative brand in the context of Home 6 and the local neighborhood stories.

It is a great challenge to enter in one neighbourhood full of neighbours of different generations, full of a variety of buildings and streets, that “cry” for change. And one whole community that awaits this change for years and dreams of small galleries and streets full of colours, events, craft made beer, summer stages. Luckily we have a city hall support for this idea.
This positive energy for change is an important maker that increases significantly the community involvement and the project will also unite the community. The synergy among the various stakeholders is a key factor in our project. The placemake and co-designer process , the creation of a hub as an uniting space, the collection of local stories , the Neighbourhoods European Talks will definitely be a hug step forward

Our core team consists of people who participated as a team in a Hackathon (placemake ideas competition) organized by the Municipality of Gabrovo. We won 1st place with our idea - "Home 6". All participants in this competition are representatives of the community that wants a transformation in 6 District . We have a special knowledge and experiences and so we complement each other well: In our team there are financier, living in 6 District, two persons leading NGO's with project and events experiences , one of them is theater artist and manager, also we have owner of Creative tourism travel agency , PR from local museum, etc. Also аll of us have good connections in 6 D|istrict. We want to work in 6 District and transform this place in good place for social life and culture.

Networking in the neighborhood (mentors' fees, accommodation of participants, all placemake processes of creating a visual identity of the neighborhood) 11 500
Hub equipment 3500
Public relations 1000
Project management, hub coordination, 6500
Office expenses 500
Art instalations , street branding 10 000
Storytelling 2000

We hope for positive feedback and support. The map of happiness sometimes looks like a neighborhood with good neighbors. We want to draw this map now and whoever wants to support us - just can do it drawing with us.