Evening in the memory of architect Metodi Totev

         An evening, dedicated to 85 anniversary of architect Metodi Totev was held in the overcrowded Club of the Cultural figures on September 28, in 5. 00 pm. Guest of the ceremony was also Ivan Slavov – a deputy mayor of department "Humanitarian activities" of Sliven municipality. The event was organized by "Sava Dobroplodni" Regional Library and Club of the Cultural Figures - Sliven.

         The host of the event - Rosica Petrova-Vasileva, opened the celebration by saying: "Today, we all, relatives, friends, colleagues will revive in our memory those most important moments in the life and work of one of the most prominent architects who worked in Sliven and left a lasting imprint on the modern outlook of Sliven – a talented and independent artist, an aristocrat at heart, an epicurean in spirit, he remained in our memories with his venerable figure, with his childish independence combined with high erudition, with a delicate sense of irony and self-irony, with his amazing workaholism and his unquenchable desire to work – architect Metodi Totev". This is probably the shortest, yet most accurate description of him.

         The audience saw 25-minute lasting documentary movie entitled "In memory of architect Metodi Totev" created in collaboration with "Sava Dobroplodni" Regional Library. By many images related to home, family, friends, work, travel, projects and by the emotional first-person story of Diana Toteva – the wife of architect Metodi Totev and his colleagues’ memories of him were resurrected.

         After the movie, the President of the Club of cultural figures - Zheliaz Kondev urged all citizens of Sliven to support the initiative for the construction and placement of bas-relief of architect Metodi Totev in the yard of the Club in recognition of the buildings built on his projects in "Chakarov’s houses" complex, a part of which is the Clubhouse, featuring a unique architecture and interior, bearing his distinctive artistic style and for his contribution to the development of several Renaissance complexes that preserved the spirit of the past.

         Rosica Petrova Vasileva pointed the undeniable contribution of architect Metodi Totev for preserving the building of the regional library from restitution. For 11 years, the duration of the case, he was an expert and despite his poor health he attended the hearings in all courts and defended the view of the inseparability of the old building from first extension of the library built in 1968-1972. He was very helpful to defense with his advices. So, thanks to him and the support of several disinterested experts, the case was won, and the building was saved for the city.

         The conceptual project for the built in the period 2007 -2009 new extension of the regional library belonged to architect Metodi Totev too, which unfortunately he failed to see completed in his lifetime. So because of his support the library keep its building and expanded and modernized it.

         The wife of architect Metodi Totev - Diana Toteva thanked the audience reading an emotional speech. She expressed her hope that the work of her husband will not sink into oblivion, that the buildings designed by him have a specific style and will be recognized in the future by the new generations of Sliven citizens. With great excitement she said that her family donated to the Municipality of Sliven the last project of architect Totev which remained unfulfilled, to build a holiday resort in the "Ramanusha" locality.

         The evening ended with an authentic recording of the voice of architect Totev from an interview with him broadcasted on the National Radio, his voice, known and remembered by many Sliven citizens.

         Guests of the evening were able to recall some of the most important projects of architect Metodi Totev from the exhibition exposed on the first floor of the Club of the Cultural Figures.