Concept by engineer Alexander Dunchev (Union of Foresters in Bulgaria) and in partnership with Magdalena Maleeva, founder of the association "Gorichka" Design and realization: Petya Dimitrova (ВАЯ Design Atelier) and Justine Toms (ABC Design and Communication)

WHY?

Provoking adolescent curiosity about climate related problems. On a larger scale the project stimulates public interest in ecology and sustainable practices. Children are a conduit for action and activation of their parents and other adults. Such initiatives are an important tool to nurture a culture of care for the forests in Bulgaria.

FOR WHOM?

The mobile pavilion has toured over 50 schools in Bulgaria. Educators from the Union of Foresters have trained thousands of students on how to care for the forest and the climate with nature conservation games.

HOW?

The design is dictated by the need for positioning the caravan in a school yard, where games are central to the presentation, as well as positioning it in the woods, where children learn in practice about forest marking, species recognition and planting trees. The ergonomics of presentation and transportation are ensured for the constant travel of the caravan.

The design is subordinated to the theme of the forest and its sustainable protection. A solar panel, seeds and saplings for planting, a handcart, small shovels and buckets, paints and brushes for making signs in the forest, board games with focus on ecology actively and meaningfully engage children.

HOW LONG?

This is a long-term conceptual dream of Eng. Alexander Dunchev. In the hands of VAYA and ABC Design & Communication it materializes in a concrete form. The construction and the equipment of the caravan have been realized in a month and half - from the first meeting, evaluating the caravan’s condition, fast brainstorming and high-speed production of furniture, cladding and additional materials. The main goal of the van is to help Bulgarian foresters offer quality, interesting and effective training.

WHERE?

The financial support of the initiative comes from the National trust ecofund. Each subsequent campaign / or period seeks new funding, with Tales of the Forest taking over another 20 Sofia schools in the spring of 2022.

www.vaia.bg