Atelier MASS is an architecture firm established in 2011 in Cluj (RO) by a team of architects who shared a passion for projects that push the boundaries of professional practice. The founding members are Camelia Sisak, Silviu Aldea, and Tamás Sisak, and over the years, they have developed a team committed to providing detailed and personalized solutions tailored to each local context. Atelier Mass demonstrates the ability to work on various scales, from complex urban projects to fine details of architecture or interior design. With a clear vision and a passion for innovation, the firm successfully transforms ideas into tangible realities, thereby contributing to the creation of spaces that inspire and enhance quality of life.
Project description in English
The reopening of the Roman Lapidary in 2024 comes after approximately 30 years during which the space was closed to the public and only occasionally opened for specialists. The collection was established through acquisitions and donations in 1859 with the founding of the Transylvanian Museum Society (Erdélyi Múzeum Egyesület). The Roman Lapidary contains pieces that are representative of ancient Transylvanian history, predominantly from the intra-Carpathian territory of the province of Dacia. The collection includes inscriptions, reliefs, and statues crafted from marble, limestone, sandstone, and tuff extracted from quarries in Roman Dacia, or brought in through imports from other provinces. Functionally, the pieces are classified into several categories: funerary monuments, votive monuments, public monuments, and architectural fragments.
Generally, the lapidary primarily caters to specialists, but the current exhibition aims to be accessible to all visitors. The project sought to highlight the exhibits with limited resources, making them accessible to both specialists and the general public. The large volume of pieces necessitated rigorous organization to successfully display them all. A central element of the arrangement is the elliptical layout, designed to guide visitors through space in a clear and intuitive manner. This layout not only facilitates orientation within the exhibition but also allows for a coherent exploration of the collection.
The pieces are displayed on simple stands or pedestals, with consoles placed at various heights or fixed to walls using metal supports. To complement the solidity of the stone pieces, slender metallic elements and reflective surfaces have been added. These not only provide a pleasant visual contrast but also add a new visual dimension to the space, visually opening the rooms and enhancing the lighting. The stainless-steel reflective surfaces contribute a contemporary aspect while harmoniously integrating into the historical context of the exhibits. An essential objective of the redesign was to achieve a balance between aesthetic appeal and functionality. The organization of the space was designed to be accessible and appealing to all visitors, regardless of their level of knowledge in archaeology. Every detail, from the layout to the varied supports and reflective elements, was conceived to facilitate an engaging visitor experience.
