Moldova’s first solar‑powered Sports Centre opens near Chișinău

LH47, the largest architectural bureau in Moldova, has completed the country’s first solar‑powered sports centre in Durlești, near Chișinău. The building unites on‑site renewable energy with a layered, family‑centred program that integrates training, education and recreation under one sustainable roof.

Set on a sloped site with a five-metre elevation difference, the building reveals its spatial depth gradually: appearing as a two-storey volume from the entrance and opening to three visible levels from the field side. This terraced configuration allows the structure to blend harmoniously with the terrain, maintaining a human scale while using natural topography for stability and drainage.

The roof integrates solar panels that supply part of the building’s energy needs. Architect and LH47 founder, Serghei Mirza, explained:

“We installed solar batteries on the roof, making the entire structure highly energy‑efficient.”

A rainwater harvesting system further improves environmental performance, enabling efficient irrigation and maintenance.

Originally conceived as a children’s football training facility, the project evolved into a genuine community destination.

Mirza said:

“We knew children never come to practice alone—their parents do too. We wanted to transform waiting time into shared time: a chance to rest, socialise, or stay active.”

This idea shaped a layered circulation plan, giving each user group an independent route. Each group — children, parents, coaches and staff — follows an independent route, allowing simultaneous activity without overlap. The main level houses classrooms and a café with panoramic field views; the upper level provides fitness, boxing and yoga zones for adults; and the lower level embeds locker rooms and concrete stands into the slope, detailed for ergonomic comfort and clear sightlines.

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Architecturally, the football club favours biomorphic lines over rigid geometry. Inclined columns, floating balconies and transparent façades generate a sense of lightness and movement. Landscape and building interweave: trees are integrated into the site’s landscape to provide natural shading around the building.

For LH47, the project is more than a sports venue — it is social infrastructure and a statement on active, sustainable living.

Mirza noted:

“This was a project of challenges. The complex terrain and multi‑layered program demanded precise engineering coordination. But this is where strong architecture emerges. We don’t just design buildings — we design emotions. Our goal is for people to feel both comfort and energy in this environment.”

Project credits:

Location: Durlești, Moldova

Architect: LH47 ARCH / @lh47arch

Project team: Serghei Mirza, Victor Rosca, Maria Shova, Vadim Fonariuc, Alexandr Fedorenko

Footprint: 2,018sqm

Completion year: 2025

Photographer: Mihaela Alaiba / @mihaela_alaiba

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