Landscape habitat: Extension and conversion of the former imperial baths of Herculane

Radu-Mihai Măldărescu is a graduate of the "Ion Mincu" University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest. His student years led him towards a conceptual exploration of architectural projects, which is why solution competitions were his main extracurricular activity.

Local spa resorts are grappling with an outdated image of their cultural landscape and the inability of the built environment to relate to its surroundings. These shortcomings form the subject of the diploma project, which aims to restore the lost connections of the historic core and propose a scenario for regenerating the representative image of the Băile Herculane resort. The building of the former imperial baths is the focus of this project. Consequently, the intervention area is represented by the interstitial space between the object and it’s landscape, specifically the rocky cliff against which it’s silhouette is outlined. The solution employs two distinct procedures: subtraction and addition, ensuring that the relationship between the historic image of the baths and the intervention becomes complementary and maintains the character of the place. The interior spaces follow the structural rationales imposed by the environment of the intervention, resulting in distinct structural solutions for the room ceilings, yet in line with their functions. The objective of the intervention is to present contemporary architecture as an integrated part of the landscape and to raise awareness about the importance of architecture that cannot create visual unity without considering the specificities of its environment.