Solar‑Powered Sports Centre Durlești, Chișinău

Solar‑Powered Sports Centre Durlești building, Modern Chișinău property design, Moldova architecture photos

2 November 2025

Moldova’s First Solar‑Powered Sports Centre Opens Near Chișinău

Design: LH47 Architects

Location: Durlești, Chișinău municipality, Republic of Moldova

Photos by Mihaela Alaiba

Solar‑Powered Sports Centre Durlești, Moldova

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‑centered program that integrates training, education, and recreation under one sustainable roof.

Set on a sloped site with a five-meter elevation difference, the building reveals its spatial depth gradually: appearing as a two-story 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. “We installed solar batteries on the roof, making the entire structure highly energy‑efficient,” explains architect and LH47 founder Serghei Mirza. 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. “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, socialize, or stay active,” says Mirza.

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.

Architecturally, the football club favors 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. “This was a project of challenges,” notes Mirza. “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.”

Solar‑Powered Sports Centre Durlești, Chișinău – Building Information

Project credits:
Location: Durlești, Moldova
Architect: LH47 ARCH / @lh47arch
Project team: Serghei Mirza, Victor Rosca, Maria Shova, Vadim Fonariuc, Alexandr Fedorenko
Footprint: 2018 sq m
Completion year: 2025