Text presentation of the author/office in English
Graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Architecture and Urbanism Ion Mincu (UAUIM) in Bucharest, class of 2024, I gained valuable experience in the field by working in two of the largest architectural offices in Bucharest during my studies. This practical experience gave me a deeper understanding of the profession.
During my undergraduate studies, I had the opportunity to participate in two editions of BIM workshops, organized both in Bucharest and in Venice, within the Erasmus PLUS program. These workshops allowed me to improve my collaboration skills and use of advanced technologies in architectural design.
Project description in English
The project is located next to the Sfinții Apostoli church, in a central area of Bucharest that has undergone major transformations, especially during the communist period. The actions for the new civic center destroyed the historic fabric and replaced old streets with residential blocks. After the 1977 earthquake, Ceausescu's regime used the consolidation of buildings as a pretext for demolitions, turning the project into a tool for political propaganda.
The result is an area of tension between the two types of urban fabric: historic and new. Urban spaces that once had connections in the fabric have now become residual fragments, and important urban places and artifacts are enclosed by the context of the blocks. The blocks, with their ornate facades towards the boulevards, turn their backs to the historic fabric, generating an unhealthy urban landscape towards the 'back' - towards the historic fabric.
Reconfiguration of these areas is possible, but it raises questions: can this fabric be reconnected without affecting the integrity of the fragments? Is boundary intervention necessary?
The function that has the power to gather the existing community around it and to coagulate this urban fragment is that of neighborhood ensemble. It encompasses both the needs of the current community and the needs of the community that will develop around the ensemble.
A starting point is the possibility of creating a pedestrian circuit linking the two poles of cultural interest: the Old Courtyard and the Ruina (both 17th century buildings, representative of Brâncovenetian architecture). This link is of major interest. Such urban intervention could help the fabric of the enclave to better communicate with the city.
Towards the other side, towards the ruin, the building becomes more permeable, the whole façade becomes a backdrop for the ruin. The whole area held by the curtain facade is transformed into a garden of the ruin, and in the area of the ruin a linking element appears between the two objects.
The building is placed on the site in such a way as to create a frontage with the blocks, while at the same time obstructing the numerous calcans on the site. The geometry of the site makes such a spine a good fit in this location, it also acts as a barrier to the blocks. The organization of the building is made around this spine, this central (containing) element, in which the circulation and some of the servic spaces are located.
