Sixteen Student Teams Build Spaghetti Tower Cranes at Varna Spaghetti Engineering 2026
31 october 2026
Sixteen student teams began their participation in the 12th national creative skills competition, Varna Spaghetti Engineering 2026, at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” with the challenge of building a tower crane out of spaghetti. The competition brought together students from eight vocational high schools specialising in construction, architecture and geodesy in Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Stara Zagora, Haskovo, Kardzhali, Burgas, Shumen and Varna at the university’s Education and Sports Complex.
Each team is supported by a student adviser from the Construction of Buildings and Facilities or Architecture programme. Participants have 180 minutes to build a tower crane. The cranes will be tested using special 300-gram concrete cubes, with the load gradually increased until the structures collapse. The jury will assess the designs according to four criteria: complexity, economy of materials, load-bearing capacity and originality.
The university’s Vice-President, Yani Yanev, welcomed the young participants and praised their courage in taking on this unconventional engineering challenge. On behalf of the President, Assoc. Prof. Dr Krasimir Nedyalkov, and the Rector, Prof. Dr Petar Hristov, he wished them success and emphasised that every competition brings new knowledge and experience. Yani Yanev encouraged the students to explore the university environment, where good ideas are given the freedom to take shape.
The Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Assoc. Prof. Dr Eng. Rositsa Petkova-Slipets, noted that the competition has become a traditional meeting place for young people with creative minds and an interest in engineering. She encouraged them to demonstrate their feel for materials and their understanding of how these behave when used in structures. This year, the creative approach is also reflected in the prizes: the winners’ trophies have been produced using a 3D printer at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Eng. Daria Mihaleva, Head of the Department of Construction of Buildings and Facilities and Chairperson of the Jury, officially opened the competition. On the eve of the Day of the National Enlighteners, she highlighted the role of teachers in encouraging students to think boldly, seek unconventional solutions and develop their engineering skills. Assoc. Prof. Mihaleva reminded the participants that the strongest structures are built on knowledge, perseverance and the courage to dream. The competition coordinator is Assist. Prof. Eng. Tihomira Kordon.
The entries will be assessed by a jury comprising of Assoc. Prof. Dr Eng. Ivan Pavlov, Chairperson of the Varna Regional College of the Chamber of Engineers in Investment Design; Eng. Anton Obretenov, member of the Supervisory Board of the Varna Regional Representative Office of the Bulgarian Construction Chamber; Arch. Georgi Naydenov, Secretary of the Varna Regional College of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria; Eng. Dian Georgiev, Manager of Planex Varna Ltd.; and Galin Kolev, Manager of Ha-Be Bulgaria Ltd.
Varna Spaghetti Engineering brings together vocational secondary education, the university and the construction industry, giving students the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice, work as a team, and explore their future educational and career paths. Once the construction phase is complete, the teams will present their projects and put their creations to the test to see how much weight their spaghetti tower cranes can withstand.
Each team is supported by a student adviser from the Construction of Buildings and Facilities or Architecture programme. Participants have 180 minutes to build a tower crane. The cranes will be tested using special 300-gram concrete cubes, with the load gradually increased until the structures collapse. The jury will assess the designs according to four criteria: complexity, economy of materials, load-bearing capacity and originality.
The university’s Vice-President, Yani Yanev, welcomed the young participants and praised their courage in taking on this unconventional engineering challenge. On behalf of the President, Assoc. Prof. Dr Krasimir Nedyalkov, and the Rector, Prof. Dr Petar Hristov, he wished them success and emphasised that every competition brings new knowledge and experience. Yani Yanev encouraged the students to explore the university environment, where good ideas are given the freedom to take shape.
The Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Assoc. Prof. Dr Eng. Rositsa Petkova-Slipets, noted that the competition has become a traditional meeting place for young people with creative minds and an interest in engineering. She encouraged them to demonstrate their feel for materials and their understanding of how these behave when used in structures. This year, the creative approach is also reflected in the prizes: the winners’ trophies have been produced using a 3D printer at Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar”.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Eng. Daria Mihaleva, Head of the Department of Construction of Buildings and Facilities and Chair of the Jury, officially opened the competition. On the eve of the Day of the National Enlighteners, she highlighted the role of teachers in encouraging students to think boldly, seek unconventional solutions and develop their engineering skills. Assoc. Prof. Mihaleva reminded the participants that the strongest structures are built on knowledge, perseverance and the courage to dream. The competition coordinator is Assistant Eng. Tihomira Kordon.
The entries will be assessed by a jury comprising: Assoc. Prof. Dr Eng. Ivan Pavlov, Chair of the Varna Regional College of the Chamber of Engineers in Investment Design; Eng. Anton Obretenov, member of the Supervisory Board of the Varna Regional Representative Office of the Bulgarian Construction Chamber; Arch. Georgi Naydenov, Secretary of the Varna Regional College of the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria; Eng. Dian Georgiev, Manager of Planex Varna Ltd.; and Galin Kolev, Manager of Ha-Be Bulgaria Ltd.
Varna Spaghetti Engineering brings together vocational secondary education, the university and the construction industry, giving students the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice, work as a team, and explore their future educational and career paths. Once the construction phase is complete, the teams will present their projects and put their creations to the test to see how much weight their spaghetti tower cranes can withstand.
The competition is held with the support of the Chamber of Engineers in Investment Design, the Bulgarian Construction Chamber, the Chamber of Architects in Bulgaria, Hidrostroy JSC, Planex Varna Ltd., Atrim Ltd., MS Build Invest Ltd., Apartinvest Ivanovi Ltd., Ha-Be Bulgaria Ltd., Röfix Ltd. and Hilti Bulgaria Ltd.
The media partners are Stroitel newspaper, the Moreto.net news portal and Radio Varna.
