A New Kind of Power: Moldova Opens Its First Solar Sports Centre, Blending Architecture, Energy and Community

On the outskirts of Chișinău, where the city’s rhythm softens into rolling hills, a new landmark rises from the landscape. It is not a monument to concrete or steel but a living example of what happens when architecture begins to think about people first. Sleek, fluid, and quietly forward looking, Moldova’s first solar powered sports centre has opened its doors in Durlești, setting a new standard for how communities move, learn, and gather.

At first glance, the building appears understated, a contemporary silhouette gently embedded in the slope of the land. Step closer and its story begins to unfold. Conceived by LH47, the country’s largest architectural bureau, the structure plays with perspective and purpose. From the entrance it presents as two storeys, while from the field three levels emerge in perfect balance with the terrain. This terraced formation is both aesthetic and functional, using the site’s natural gradient for stability, drainage, and an almost cinematic sense of space.

Inside, light flows freely through floor to ceiling glass that frames the training fields below. Open balconies and inclined columns create an impression that the building itself is in motion, a reflection of its athletic character. Solar panels line the roof, quietly converting sunlight into energy that powers much of the centre. Below, rainwater is collected and reused across the site, completing a sustainable cycle that supports both the structure and its surroundings. Here, sustainability is not decoration, it is the foundation.

The original idea was simple, a football training facility for children. Yet for LH47 founder and architect Serghei Mirza, the concept soon grew into something larger. He explains that children never come alone. Their parents are always present, waiting, watching. The aim was to turn that waiting time into shared time.

That philosophy shaped a building that feels more like a small vertical community than a traditional sports hall. Each level moves to a different rhythm. The main floor offers classrooms and a café with panoramic views of the pitch, creating a natural meeting place for families. The upper floor is devoted to wellbeing, with yoga, boxing, and fitness areas designed for adults. At ground level, the locker rooms and seating terraces are built seamlessly into the slope, giving both comfort and clear sightlines to the field.

Movement within the building was considered with the precision of choreography. Children, parents, coaches, and staff all follow their own independent paths, allowing activity to flow smoothly without disruption. The result is an environment that moves with its users rather than around them.

From the outside, the design challenges the stiffness often found in sports architecture. Its organic curves, floating balconies, and transparent façades bring a sense of softness and lightness. The surrounding trees were preserved and integrated into the landscape plan, providing natural shade and ensuring that the building feels like an extension of the terrain rather than an interruption.

For Mirza and his team — Victor Rosca, Maria Shova, Vadim Fonariuc, and Alexandr Fedorenko — the project represents more than architecture. It expresses a belief that buildings should create emotion as much as shelter. Mirza reflects that strong architecture emerges through challenge. He says they do not simply design structures but experiences.

That experience is felt in every moment. It is in the quiet hum of solar energy above, in the conversation shared over coffee, in the sound of football boots striking the floor below. The building does not just host movement, it inspires it. In Durlești, LH47 has created more than a sports centre. They have built a social ecosystem, a place where sustainability and community meet naturally.

Moldova’s design story is still being written, but here among the slopes outside Chișinău, its next chapter has already begun.

Photography by Mihaela Alaiba (@mihaela_alaiba)Architects LH47 ARCH (@lh47arch)