We are happy to announce the location of Beta 2026! The main venue of the sixth edition, curated by Tudor Vlăsceanu and Andreas Kofler, will be the grounds of the former Technical College ‘Ion Mincu’ architecture high school. The activation of the space in Beta 2026 will set the tone for future Mincu Creative Workshops, a project of the Timișoara City Hall in partnership with the Miltonia Association.
In theory
In theoryThe former ‘Ion Mincu’ Technical College is not a monument in the traditional sense. In theory, its architectural value is modest, almost generic. Yet in practice, preservation is not solely a matter of style or memory, but one of embodied matter: working with the resources already invested in what exists.
Beta 2026 will activate two buildings part of the former school, the workshops building and the canteen, both bordering the Botanical Park.
In practice
Three open calls will be launched on Wednesday, 19 November 2025, inviting contributions for the transformation of the former architecture school building. Their structure and criteria have been developed in consultation with the Bouwmeester Maître Architecte (BMA) team in Brussels.
The initiative is further supported by HouseEurope!, a Europe-wide campaign advocating for a shift from demolition to transformation. Their endorsement emphasises the urgency and relevance of Beta 2026 In Practice – as opposed to ‘in theory’, aligning it with a broader movement focused on reuse, repair, and the care for existing buildings.
Beta 2026 is hosted by the City of Timișoara and Miltonia Association, co-financed by the City of Timișoara through the Center for Projects, the Romanian Order of Architects through the Architecture Stamp and The Administration of the National Cultural Fund. The project is supported by the main partners: Fundația Alber, City of Mara, Nord One and Vivalia.
