About the team

Set up in 2000 by architects Cosmina Goagea, Constantin Goagea and tefan

Ghenciulescu, Zeppelin team edits a monthly review, organizes conferences, work
shops, exhibitions, competitions dedicated to architecture and urban planning,
carries out publishing projects, research in architecture, urban planning and other
creative industries.
For over 10 years since they work together, the missions of this team went
around the issues of Romanian urban transition. In their work, it was both vital to
promote examples of best professional practice, the involvement in projects of
coherent development of the city, active stimulation of critical reflection in the
area of architecture and design, support of innovation and ongoing learning, as
well as the set up of international professional networks.
Through specific projects and cultural interventions, the Zeppelin team aimed
to involve professionals from various areas, as well as local communities, in a
series of recovering, raising awareness of cultural heritage resources, the value of
certain urban situations and the design of certain genuine public spaces in the city.
Another type of projects initiated by Zeppelin Association consists of studies and
analyses of the Romanian urban phenomenon in the regional context, and interna
tional promotion of the development potential of the Romanian cities.

Zeppelin magazine

This international architecture and urban culture magazine is an editorially and

financially independent publication, managed by the Zeppelin Association. The
magazine publishes 10 issues/ year, with both Romanian and international mate
rials (with texts in Romanian and English), with a strong emphasis on the region
(Central and SouthEastern Europe) and on young architects, social and sustain
able architecture, innovation, creative use of low budgets and critical attitudes.

2012
2010

Zeppelin evenings

Zeppelin evenings are a series of conferences dedicated to architecture, design and

urban culture, an education and communication project launched in early 2008.
Starting with 2011, the event takes places each month in the Aula of Charles I
Central University Library. This open platform accumulated, in 39 editions (April
2012) to over 10,000 participants and regularly proposed meetings with archi
tects, designers and artists all over the world.
The project of Zeppelin evenings means an open scene for art and intellectual
interaction. The topic of that interaction is always the city, architecture, urbanity,
but in a transcultural perspective, with mixes of ideas and content, fertile and
original. The aim of the evenings is to support cultural practice based on dialogue,
cooperation and interdisciplinary.
sO far, meetings with:
Miklos Ptterfy, Lazlo Benczur (Budapest), Eugen Pnescu, Michael Buck, Pero
Pulij (Amsterdam), Juan Trias de Bes (Barcelona), Angelo Roventa (Vienna),
Mihaela Kavdanska, erban Sturdza, Riychi Miyake, Yasushiro Yamashita, (Tokyo),
Kim Attila, Ada Diaconu, Tiberiu Buca, Mihai uc, Radu Coma, Justin Baroncea,
Raymond Bobar, Dorin tefan, Alex Axinte, Cristi Borcan, Andrei erbescu, Cosmin
Pavel, Adriana Mereu, Kai Voekler (Berlin), Michael Obrist (Vienna), Ivan Kucina
(Belgrade), Marko Sancanin (Croatia), Wilfried Hackenbroich (Germany), Iulia and
Florian Stenciu, Cristina Sabu, Nanne de Ru (the Netherlands), Lukasz Zagala
(Poland), Oana Bogdan (Belgium), Irina Bncescu, Teodor Octavian Gheorghiu,
erban igna, Cristian Corvin, Drago Oprea, Johannes Bertleff, Eike Roswag
(Berlin), Remus Hran, Karoly Neme, Crina Popescu, Drago Perju, Mario Kuibu,
Matthew Hilton (London), Adrian Soare, Eliza Yokina, Petru Clinescu, Roger
Pop, Alex Adam, Masahiro Harada, Ryuichi Ashizawa, Yoshihide Kobanawa (Japan)
andRobert Marin.
www.zeppelinmagazine.net/zeppelin.php

2012

Organizer: Zeppelin team

Partners: Kludi, Siemens, FinalDistribution,
Dulux, Knauf Insulation, Brikston, Velux,
Roca, Rockwool, Gealan, Resido, Fakro,
Lafarge, Qbiss by Trimo, SaintGobain
Glass, Semmelrock Stein+Design, Holcim,
Reynaers, Eclisse, Geberit, Legrand,
BelProfile, Alukonigstahl, Piscine Laghetto,
Grohe, Geplast, FSB, Hulsta studio, Egger,
Sika, Unilem, Berndorf, Arabesque, Glass
Expert, Rigips, Kasta, Trends& Ideas, Kult!,
Sensio, Whirlpool, AGC,Radox
Cu sPrijinul: Asia Europe Foundation,
Romanian Cultural Institute through Cantemir
Programme, ERSTE Stiftung, Union of
Romanian Architects, Austrian Cultural
Forum, Rehau, Baumax, Wienerberger and
Porotherm, Romanian Commercial Bank,
Pavilion UNICREDIT, National Museum
of Contemporary Art, Embassy of the
Netherlands in Romania, French Institute,
Carol I University Central Library, Intro

Urban activation in Romania

2011

Exhibition/ 2.11.201110.01.2012, National Museum of Contemporary Art

The project proposed a study of the recent independent initiatives in Romania

and a selection of 14 projects which may be seen as effective models of action
and restoration of abandoned spaces, of the identity of a place, of good tech
niques and habits, of the relationship with the world, promoting thus a culture of
the urban civic activism. Interventions in the public spaces with the participation
of the local community, conversions and restored places or constructions out of
use, urban cultural reactivations through architectural, art or urban design were
highlighted. At the same time, personal strategies and viable models for the social
integration and the accountability of certain groups, setting up communities or
partnerships formulae were identified. The project brought together the energies,
experiences, feelings, questions and perspectives of people who understood that
the fate of the place they live in depends on them. The exhibition had over 2,500
visitors, out of which 400 were present at the opening.

Organizer: Zeppelin Association

Partenrs: Order of Romanian
Architects, Administration of National
Cultural Heritage, ERSTE Stiftung,
ArchisInterventions SEE, National Museum
ofContemporaryArt,Lafarge

Urban Report

2011

Platform

Urbanreport.ro is a research project dedicated to the contemporary urban

phenomenon in 4 countries affected by different kinds of transitions, yet equally
impossible to predict: Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Hungary. What condi
tions and fantasies allowed the chaotic development of the past 10 years, what
emotions and nostalgia activate us, to what extent we are tributary to a commu
nist or capitalist symbolic imaginary and other clichs are to be discovered in the
UrbanReport project.

www.urbanreport.ro

urban rePOrt team: Ivan Kucina,

TodorAtanasov, Peter Torniov,
MiklsPterffy, Samu Szemerey,
tefanGhenciulescu, Cosmina Goagea,
Constantin Goagea/ BINA, SAW, ZEPPELIN,
KEK, Transformatori
suPPOrted by: Romanian Cultural Institute
through Cantemir Programme, Administration
of National Cultural Heritage, Union of
Romanian Architects (based on the funding
from the architecture stamp tax)

Urban Report #1
The Poetics of Transition on the Run

Modernity/ antimodernity
In this first volume of Urban Report, the navigation through the poetics of tran
sition prioritizes the conflict generated by a world of modernity brutally arrived
upon us. As shown in this first study, the forces that bring modernity in our cities
are culturally ingenuous, violent but determined, therefore causing equally good
things, but also chaos, ugliness and corruption. What conditions and fantasies
allowed the chaotic development of the past 20 years, so often similar in those 4
countries? What emotions and nostalgia move both them and us? To what extent
we are tributary to a communist or, on the contrary, capitalist symbolic imaginary
and other themes and clichs are to be discovered in detail this project of collabo
ration developed by Zeppelin team.

2011

Urban Report #2

2011

The Conditions of SelfRegulated Urbanity

Community and individuality

One of the most sensitive problems of postsocialism was abandoning any
communityoriented urban management. Neurotic reactions are spontaneously
produced to escape from any form of urban regulation, a protest against the idea
of a unique destiny a city can create equally to all its inhabitants. This phenom
enon is accompanied by an explosion of individuality as a form of expression of
freedom; giant energies are forced to find their own dynamic. By understanding
this live process, always influenced by many factors, Volume 2 of Urban Report
tries to imagine the future of Eastern cities beyond stereotypes, from a positive
perspective: turning weaknesses into opportunities.

URBAN REPORT IS A CROSS CULTURE RESEARCH,

GATHERING THEORIES AND CRITICAL DISCOURSES
ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARY URBAN PHENOMENA
AND ARCHITECTURE IN 4 COUNTRIES: ROMANIA,
HUNGARY, SERBIA, BULGARIA.

Urban Report #3

2011

The Pioneers of Emergent Practices

Representation and identity, globalization of production and creative

resources, costs and migratory patterns
As we are clarified in the meantime that there is no transition and this part of
Europe is unlikely to be comparable to its Western part ever, we invite you to this
third volume of adventure called Urban Report, dedicated to pioneers of architec
tural practices drawn from these times and places. Pioneers in the practices that
are not certified and nonpatented. However, something heroic and beautiful,
entirely dignified, shows itself every time such a project manages to transform the
world around. These are small projects, temporary, fragile, but their multiplication
and energy they emit build hope that something is changing for the better. Yes,
this is a dedicated number of rebellious ideas, some people, which have no choice
and must be explorers, innovators, pioneers into the unknown.

URBAN REPORT IS A CROSS CULTURE RESEARCH,

GATHERING THEORIES AND CRITICAL DISCOURSES
ABOUT THE CONTEMPORARY URBAN PHENOMENA
AND ARCHITECTURE IN 4 COUNTRIES: ROMANIA,
HUNGARY, SERBIA, BULGARIA.

Urban Report
Conferences/ 0512.2011, Belgrade, Budapest, Sofia

The first conference at the launch of the #1 Urban Report volume part of the
Belgrade International Architecture Week took place on 11 May 2011. The event,
hosted by Belgrade City Museum, covered a presentation of the platform and
programme delivered by Constantin Goagea, a conference on the Serbian contribu
tion and its relevance in the project delivered by Ivan Kucina and two screenings
(Looking for Oktober and Balkanized Deutsche Bank).
The next event, taking place on 5 November 2011 part of Sofia Architecture
Wee, was at the Peform Business Canter: a project presentation (topics,
network, correspondents) and of #2 Urban Report volume, delivered by tefan
Ghenciulescu, and The Limits of the Balkans round table. The third event took
place at Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art in Budapest on 2 December 2011,
and included the following presentations: Miklos Peterffy about the project, topics
and Urban Report network, Constantin Goagea about #3 volume (Pioneers of
emerging practices; examples of urban practice and activation in the 4 partici
pating countries in the project), Janos Vagi Go Vorosto, a project of community
building, Samu Szemerey about the Yona Friedman exhibition open at Ludwig
Museum, in connection with Urban Report topics, and a free debate, moderated by
Samu Szemerey, on the transition and its meaning in the Balkans.

2011

Guided tours through industrial architecture

2011

2526.11.2011, Bucharest, SouthWest

Section of the Heritage as a resource programme, the project proposed as

a dedicated pilot project mainly to architects, members of organizations and
civil society to visit seven industrial ensembles in the capital: Filaret Factory,
WolffHesper Factory, Matches Factory, Astronomic Observer, the Stamp Factory,
Bragadiru Palace and Factory, Customs Warehouse the Ark. In two busy days,
two guided tours were organized, with the information provided by the members
of Association for Industrial Archaeology. The participants had the opportunity to
explore a spectacular and hardly accessible (or not at all). In those visits, accom
panied by sandwiches and hot tea, the issues and the potential of the industrial
heritage was debated, possible strategies and regeneration actions, examples
of urban identities created on the recently industrial past and perspectives for a
cultural rebranding of the capital.

Organizers: Zeppelin Association,

Association for Industrial Architecture
inRomania
suPPOrted by: Order of Romanian
Architects, Administration of National
Cultural Heritage, ERSTE Stiftung, Archis
InterventionsSEE, National Museum of
ContemporaryArt,Lafarge

City. Money. Architecture.

2011

Conference/ debate/ 16.12.2011, National Museum of Contemporary Art

Almost 6 hours into a marathon, structured in two sessions of conferences

followed by one debate. The debate brought together architects, urban planners
and expert economists from Romania, the Netherlands and Germany who explored
study cases, failure or success scenarios for urban development, formulae to
increase the attractiveness of cities for locals and investors, opportunities and
solutions for new urban projects. How could our cities be more attractive to their
locals and to investments? Who and in what way could implement new projects,
how could working partnerships be set up, in what conditions and how could
funding for all those be attracted? The debate focused on establishing principles
and action strategies to find development resources for Romanian cities and archi
tecture. The programme was structured in such a way to facilitate the interaction
of partners and build cooperation bridges among various partners. Also, the focus
went on improving the dialogue with the public administration.
The following participated in the first session: Gheorghe Ptracu head archi
tect of Bucharest city hall, erban igna president of the Order of Romanian
Architects, Anca Ginavar general director Regional Development Ministry of
Regional Development and Tourism, Piet Van Ruler senior partner for urban
development Twynstra Gudde, Olanda and Liviu Iani lecturer at the department
of urban planning and regional planning, Ion Mincu University of Architecture
and Urban Planning.
This session included presentations having a starting point in defining the role
of architecture in urban development or introducing current topics: what makes
Romanian cities (still) beautiful, what areas and kind of projects are worth being
prioritized for the Romanian cities to be more accessible and more competitive,
what types of partnerships may generate new programmes meant to improve truly
the projects of architecture, certain areas or the city.
The second session included Damo Holt director for estate counselling ECORYS
Research & Consulting, Olanda, Ellen van der Lei expert urban development fund
European Investment Bank, Luxembourg, Sorina Racoviceanu director Institute
for Housing and Urban Development Studies, Romania and Eugen Pnescu archi
tect Planwerk, partner. The debates had consistent interventions from Nicuor
Dan president of Save Bucharest, and architects Teodor Frolu and Ctlin
Berescu. The event was moderated by Kai Voeckler programme director at Archis
Interventions and Joep de Roo director Eurodite.
The second part generated more questions and answers around major issues:
how and why investments are made in Romania, what are the conditions to attract
and absorb funding (from the European to the private ones), how could more part
ners and investors be attracted into an urban project, the investments agencies
and main planning had good results in many countries and cities, but this formula
is almost unknown in Romania.
The films of the conference are available at:
http://vimeo.com/search?q=city+money+architecture

Organizers: Zeppelin Association, DISC

(Dutch Initiative for Sustainable Cities),
NAi (Netherland Architecture Institute,
Rotterdam) and Archis Interventions
Partner: Union of Architects in Romania
suPPOrted by: Administration of National
Cultural Heritage, ERSTE Stiftung,
theNetherlands Embassy, NAi Netherlands
Architecture Institute, Archis Interventions
SEE, DISC Dutch Initiative for Sustainable
Cities, National Museum of Contemporary
Art, Ministry of Regional Development and
Tourism, Lafarge, Sensio, Geplast, Armstrong

CUM A FOST LA
THE WAY IT HAPPENED:

Echipa zeppelin

CITY. MONEY.
ARCHITECTURE [1] /
FESTIVAL ZEPPELIN

Nicolae Ivan

Riscm ca resursele
urbane nc existente s
se consume ineficient,
deteriornd calitatea
vieiilocuitorilor.
The still remaining urban
resources risk to be
consumed ineffectively
and by damaging the
qualityoflife.

n 16 decembrie, Muzeul Naional de Art Contemporan a gzduit,

ca final de gal, cel mai viu i mai ateptat moment al Festivalui
Zeppelin: conferina i super-dezbaterea internaional City.
Money. Architecture, moderat de Kai Vckler, director de program
Archis Interventions i Joep de Roo, director Eurodite Bucureti.
V prezentm acum cele mai importante idei reliefate n prima
sesiune, la care-au participat Gheorghe Ptracu, arhitect-ef al
capitalei, erban igna, preedinte OAR, Anca Ginavar, director n
Ministerul Dezvoltarii Regionale i Turismului, Piet van Ruler, senior
partner Twynstra Gudde - Olanda, i Liviu Iani, lector universitar la
UAUIMBucureti.
CONFERINA
n deschidere, Gheorghe Ptracu a anunat c e n curs de finalizare Conceptul Strategic Bucureti 2035 i a prezentat un scurt
diagnostic: dinamica oraului a fost incoerent, fr viziune pe
termen lung, genernd dezechilibre sociale i neglijnd calitatea
vieii. Capitala ar trebui reinventat inteligent i sensibil prin patru
direcii strategice: instituirea Zonei Metropolitane Bucureti, revitalizarea sistemului de poli teritoriali, dezvoltarea infrastructurii
i valorificarea patrimoniului. Dintre proiectele majore anterioare
care au euat, a insistat asupra operaiunii Esplanada, investiie de 1
miliard de euro ce urma s asigure capitalei un nou pol economic i
cultural dar care a fost blocat de indecizia guvernamental.

GhEORGhE PtRACU

Arhitectul devine tot mai

mult un mediator.
The architect increasingly
becomes a mediator.

On 16th of December, the National

Contemporary Art Museum was the host of a
final gala, to the most expected moment of
Zeppelin Festival: the conference and international debate City. Money. Architecture
moderated by Kai Vckler, Programme
Director at Archis Interventions and Joep de
Roo, Director Eurodite Bucharest. We now
have the pleasure to present the key ideas
discussed in the first session, with Gheorghe
Ptracu, Head Architect of the capital,
erban igna, President of the Romanian
Order of Architects, Anca Ginavar, Director
in the Ministry of Regional Development
and Tourism, Piet van Ruler, Senior Partner
Twynstra Gudde, the Netherlands, and
Liviu Iani, Lecturer at the Ion Mincu
University for Architecture and Urban
Planning Bucharest.
CONFERENCE
Gheorghe Ptracu announced in the
opening that the Strategic Concept
Bucharest 2035 is almost complete, and
presented a short diagnostic: the dynamics
of the city was incoherent, with no long
term vision, producing social imbalance and
neglecting the quality of life. The capital
should be intelligently and sensitively
reinvented via four strategic directions:
setting a Metropolitan Bucharest Zone,
reviving the territorial markers, developing
infrastructure and valorising the heritage.
Out of the former major project failing, he
insisted on the Esplanada operation, a 1
billion euro investment meant to provide
the capital with a new economic and
cultural marker, but which was blocked by
governmentalindecision.
Architecture is to the city what words
are to poetry, and to separate them is a
serious mistake, erban igna declared.
Mentioning the events leading to the set

Arhitectura este pentru ora ce sunt cuvintele pentru poezie,

a le separa e o grav eroare, a apreciat erban igna. Evocnd
mprejurrile care-au stat la fondarea grupului Planwerk acum 9
ani, cea mai grav inea de constatarea c-n Romnia sunt milioane de metri ptrai de spaiu public nengrijit. Lucrurile nu s-au
schimbat prea mult. Printre cauzele care-au asigurat eecul unor
iniiative majore pentru zone problematice din Cluj, Braov, Sibiu i
Bucureti a amintit pasivitatea, predilecia pentru specul i lipsa
colaborriiinstituionale.
Anca Ginavar a amintit c Guvernul dorete un restart pentru
proiectul Esplanada, dar aa-numita indecizie guvernamental e
legat de inexistena unui suport legal: un proiect comercial nu poate
fi sprijinit prin ordonan guvernamental. n plus, 60% din acel
teren e n proprietatea unor locuitori care-i cer drepturile. Cea mai
consistent parte a fost dedicat prezentrii unui proiect guvernamental de regenerare a fostelor situri militare, ECO City Antiaerian,
pentru care exist i perspective de finanare european.
Piet van Ruler a vorbit despre ampla experien a Olandei n
domeniul planificrii i proiectelor de parteneriat public-privat.
Dar toate modelele pe care le avem acum sunt vechi, noile cerine
sunt exact la polul opus, oferta ntrece cererea, iniiativa de planificare aparine acum utilizatorilor n coaliie cu investitorii. Apar
noi modele de dezvoltare urban, iar valoarea economic este mai
mare dect valoarea imobiliar. Punctul cheie e s-i gseti pe
cei care au aceleai interese i valori ca i tine. Ca studiu de caz a
prezentat proiectul Bloomin'Holland, un veritabil succes economic
icomunitar.
Liviu Iani a apreciat c n povestea de dragoste dintre bani i
ora, arhitectura este afrodisiacul: n contextul globalizrii, competiiei urbane i-al erei imaginii, att investitorii ct i locuitorii
trebuie sedui - cu spaii urbane, calitate i peisaje. Un exemplu
foarte bun ar fi Copehnaga, de unde i termenul de copenhagenizare pentru o anumit politic privind calitatea vieii, imaginea
oraului, peisajul etc. Arhitectura bun nu poate fi fcut de arhiteci
slabi, ns de multe ori, din nefericire, arhitecii buni fac arhitectur
urbanproast.
DEZBATEREA
Kai Voeckler a deschis prima sesiune a dezbaterilor enunnd dou
ntrebri importante: cum poate fi organizat procesul de dezvoltare
a oraului astfel nct interesele publice i cele private s fie ntr-un
bun echilibru? i care mai este rolul arhitectului n acest proces,
devine el un mediator?

Uitai-v n jur i
vedei dac putei
afla nevoi crora vrei
s le rspundei prin
dezvoltarea acelui loc.
Trecei de la specificaii
interne la cele externe.
Look around and see if
you can find out needs to
whom you may respond
by developing a place.
Swich from internal to
external specs.

Exist o anumit team

de complexitate din
partea sectorului
public, care ncearc s
simplifice totul: proiect i
construcie la pachet.
Nu poi separa arhitectura
de planificare, asta a fost
una dintre cele mai mari
erori din aceti ani.
Separating architecture
from planning was one of
the biggest mistakes from
these years.

Theres in the public

sector a certain fear of
complexity; they try to
simplify everything
therefore all these designand-build contracts.

ERbAn IGnA

ERbAn IGnA

up of Planwerk office, 9 years ago, the

worst referred to the observation that
there are millions of neglected public space
square metres. Things have not changed
substantially since then. Among causes
backing the failure of major initiatives
for difficult areas in Cluj, Braov, Sibiu and
Bucharest, he cited passiveness, the inclination to illegal business and the lack of
institutionalcooperation.
Anca Ginavar stated that the Government
aims to restart Esplanada project, but
the so-called governmental indecision is
connected to the inexistence of a legal issue:
a commercial project cannot be supported
through a governmental decision. In addition, 60% of the area is the property of
people who ask for their rights. The most
consistent part of her presentation was
devoted to showing a governmental regeneration project for the former military sites,
ECO Antiaeriana City, for which there are
opportunities of European funding.
Piet van Ruler talked about the wide Dutch
experience in the area of planning and the
public-private partnership projects. As the
models we have are rather outdated, the
new requirements are at the other extreme,
the offer exceeds the demand, and the planning initiative is now in the hands of users
in coalition with investors. New models
of urban development emerge, and the
economic value is higher than the real estate
one. The key is to find those with similar
interests and values as you. The study case
referred to Bloomin Holland, a genuine
economic and community success.

Proiectele cheie pot

atrage investitori i pot da
identitate global.
Key-projects can attract
investors and give a
global identity.

KAI VCKlER

PIEt VAn RUlER

KAI VCKlER

110

111

DVD City. Money. Architecture.

2011

Discussion synthesis and film of the event

An international conferencedebate on the architecture as a political act into an
economy based on cultural values, to which were invited: architects, urban plan
ners, urban development experts, experienced practitioners in interventions in
difficult contexts, citymanagers and government representatives, various urban
policy specialists, economists, NGOs active in the field.

CUM A FOST LA
THE WAY IT HAPPENED

Echipa zeppelin

96

Nicolae Ivan

Nu trebuie s ai n
vedere doar dezvoltarea
economic, ci i spaiul
public, programele
sociale i educative etc.
Deci e vorba despre
hardware, software,
orgware i mindware.

One should not

consider just economic
development, but also
public space, social and
education programs etc.
So, its about hardware,
orgware, and mindware.

DamO HOlt

n ediia anterioar, v-am prezentat cele mai importante idei reliefate n prima sesiune a conferinei i dezbaterii internaionale
City. Money. Architecture, eveniment gzduit de Muzeul Naional
de Art Contemporan i moderat de Kai Vckler, director de
program Archis Interventions, i de Joep de Roo, director Eurodite
Bucureti. Iat acum sinteza celei de-a doua sesiuni, la care au participat: Damo Holt (director departament de consultan imobiliar
ECORYS, Olanda), Ellen van der Lei (expert European Investment
Bank), Sorina Racoviceanu (director IHS - Institute for Housing and
Urban Development Studies Romania) i Eugen Pnescu (arhitect
partenerPlanwerk).
CONFERINA
Damo Holt a deschis sesiunea cu un mesaj-cheie: cum s duci
lucrurile la bun sfrit. Secretul proiectelor de succes ine de ceea
ce el a numit arta combinrii: a finanrilor publice cu cele private, a
funciilor, responsabilitilor, costurilor i intereselor prilor implicate. Pentru asta e nevoie de parteneriate i de ndemnare. Studiu
de caz selectat este noul Eindhoven, acum aflat n topul celor mai
inovative regiuni, dar care cu 20 de ani n urm era ntr-o situaie
comparabil cu multe orae romneti. Dup ce dou mari corporaii
i-au relocat sediile n oraul competitor, a fost creat o agenie de
dezvoltare regional prin care sectorul public a nceput s colaboreze
cu cel privat: s-au creat parteneriate, s-au organizat i au reuit s
creeze un nou pol economic.

In our previous number we presented the

key ideas discussed during the first session
of the international conference and debate
City. Money. Architecture, an event hosted
by the National Museum of Contemporary
Art and moderated by Kai Vckler
Programme Director at Archis Interventions
and Joep de Roo Director of Eurodite
Bucuresti. We now present a synthesis of the
second session, which enjoyed the participation of Damo Holt (Director of the Real
Estate Consultancy Department of ECORYS,
the Netherlands), Ellen van der Lei (expert
working for the European Investment
Bank), Sorina Racoviceanu (Director of
IHS Institute for Housing and Urban
Development Studies Romania) and Eugen
Panescu (Architect Partner Planwerk).
THE CONFERENCE
Damo Holt opened the session with an
important message: how to get things
done. The secret of successful projects
consists in what he called the art of
combining: that is the art of combining
public and private financing, as well as
the positions, responsibilities, costs and
interests of the interested parties. This
requires skills and partnerships. The new
Eindhoven is a case study in point, as this
is one of the most innovative regions, which
20 years ago was in a state similar to that
of many Romanian towns. After two big
corporations relocated their headquarters in
the competitor city, a regional development
agency was established through which the
public sector started to collaborate with the
private one: partnerships were concluded
and organized and a new economic hub was
thus created.
Ellen van der Lei presented the European
Programme Jessica for sustainable urban
investments. She has been recently
involved in the preparation of a study

Ellen van der Lei a prezentat programul european Jessica pentru

investiii urbane durabile. Recent, a fost implicat n elaborarea
unui studiu pentru implementarea programului n regiunea Braov,
care ns a fost declinat, n cele din urm, de Ministerul Dezvoltrii.
Formula propus prin acest program este nlocuirea sistemului de
fonduri disponibile cu un sistem de investiii, un bun vehicul pentru
parteneriate public-privat n proiecte de infrastructur sau transport
public urban, cldiri culturale etc. n multe ri europene, programul
e deja implementat foarte bine, inclusiv n Bulgaria sau Polonia unde
e susinut astfel dezvoltarea unor orae din regiunea Wielkopolska.
Sper ca n viitor i Romnia s se descurce mai bine.
Sorina Racoviceanu a vorbit despre competiia oraelor i city
marketing, concepte pe care le-a avut n vedere i cnd a colaborat
la elaborarea strategiei Capitalei. Competiia ine att de alegerile
oamenilor privind locul unde-i vor petrece vacanele sau unde se
vor retrage dup pensionare, ct i de locul unde-i vor localiza
afacerile. La nivel global, 2.259 de orae se lupt pentru un numr
restrns de companii: 9.423 dintre acestea asigur peste 50% din
produsul intern brut global. Pentru a fi mai competitiv, un ora
trebuie s fie mai productiv, s atrag oameni i companii, i s fie pe
msura ateptrilor lor; s fie neleas cererea global i local, s
fie evaluate corect oferta i atuurile oraului (ntr-un sistem competiional cu alte orae) i s se elaboreze o strategie de branding
ipromovare.
Eugen Pnescu a continuat, ntrebnd cum pot deveni oraele mai
competitive cu ajutorul planurilor urbanistice. A oferit ca exemplu
oraul Cluj, pentru care Palnwerk lucreaz de un deceniu. Iniial, o
munc de pionierat au nceput prin a oferi i dezbate public diverse
idei, care se dovedesc a fi valabile i astzi. Pe de alt parte, planul
urbanistic oficial urmase ideea c oraul trebuie dezvoltat ntr-o zon
relativ restrns, scenariu care s-a dovedit ntre timp eronat: dup
un deceniu de dezvoltare haotic, jumtate din ora are nevoie de o
nou planificare i restructurare. Este momentul pentru o chemare la
aciune. Formulele de parteneriat trebuie testate, pentru c suntem
la nceput i nu avem nc un exemplu de bun practic.

Cnd un proiect este

relevant, cresc ansele ca
investitorii s se implice.
There are more chances
for investors to get
involved in relevant
projects.

EllEn van DER lEi

ntrebarea-cheie: la ce
se uit investitorii, de ce
ar investi ei n oraele
din Romnia i ce caut
defapt?
A key question: What
would investors look at?
Why should anyone invest
in Romanian cities and
what will they search for?

DamO HOlt

Investitorii instituionali,
companiile instituionale
i ageniile devin din
ce n ce mai interesate
de sistemul de
finanareurban.

for the programme implementation in

Brasov, which was eventually rejected by
the Ministry of Development. The formula
proposed by this programme presupposes
the replacement of the system of available
funds with an investment system, which is a
handy opportunity for public-private partnerships for infrastructure projects, urban
public transportation, cultural buildings etc.
In many European countries the programme
has already been successfully implemented,
including Bulgaria or Poland where it
supports the development of several cities
in the Wielkopolska region. She hopes that
Romania will do better in the future, too.
Sorina Racoviceanu talked about the
competition of the cities and about city
marketing, concepts which have also been
considered when she collaborated with the
authorities for the preparation of a strategy
for the capital. Competition is involved
when it comes to peoples choices about the
place where they want to spend their holidays or to retire, as well as the place where
they will locate their business. At the global
level, 2,259 cities compete for a limited
number of companies: 9,423 of them
ensure over 50% of the global gross internal
product. In order to be more competitive,
a city has to be more productive, to attract
people and companies and to meet their
expectations; to have a good understanding
of the global and local demand, to accurately evaluate its supply and strong points
(in the framework of a competition based
system with other cities) and to prepare a
branding and promotion strategy.
Eugen Panescu continued this topic
by asking how cities can become more
competitive based on their urban plans. He
gave as an example the city of Cluj for which
Palnwerk has been working for a decade.
Initially they performed pioneering work
they started to offer and subject to public
debates a series of ideas which continue to
be valid even today. On the other hand, the
official urban plan had been designed based
on the idea that the city was to develop in
a relatively small area, a scenario which in
time proved to be wrong: after a decade
of chaotic development, half of the city
needs new planning and restructuring. It
is time for a call to action. The partnership
formulae have to the tested because we only
just started and we do not have best practice
examples yet.

Institutional investors
and companies as well as
agencies become more
and more interested in
urban financing.

EllEn van DER lEi

Oraele devin tot

mai importante n
dezbaterile i conferinele
internaionale. S-ar
spune c sunt chiar
mai importante dect
rile, dac ne gndim la
oamenii de afaceri care
i caut noi sedii pentru
afacerile lor.
Cities become
increasingly important in
international conferences
and debates. One
could say that they get
to be more important
than countries, if we
think about business
people looking for
newheadquarters.

SORina RaCOviCEanu

97

International relations. Young architects in Germany

2011

Itinerant exhibition/ 10.1112.12.2011, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Bucharest

The exhibition presented almost 14 projects completed by young architects from

Germany which were carried out abroad, mostly after 2004. Selected examples
in architecture, interior design, urban planning and landscaping highlighted the
way in which they approach a new and foreign environment, change and redefine
already existing buildings and build new ones in extraordinary conditions: sensi
tive solutions to current challenges, always considering the future, the sustaina
bilit and the new technologies. Contrary to the global media interest for spec
taculary and the culture of celebrity, the exhibition presented innovative projects
which offer a confident pragmatic and discreet approach, focusing on the place
they were designed for.

exhibitiOn Carried Out by: Institute for

Cultural International Relations Stuttgart,
in cooperation with the Federal Chamber of
German Architects Berlin
Organizers in rOmania: Goethe Institut in
partnership with Zeppelin Association
suPPOrted by: Order of Architects in
Romania, Administration of the National
Cultural Heritage, ERSTE Stiftung,
National Museum of Contemporary Art,
ArchisInterventions, Lafarge

Rien ne va plus/ Faites vos jeux

2010

16.0921.11.2010, avilion Unicredit centre for contemporary art and culture, Bucharest

The exhibition presents the impact of the economic, environmental and genera
tion crisis over architecture and the way to approach the complexity of those
issues to set up a future outline. Rien ne va Plus started as a research project
with the starting point that we are the witnesses of a triple crisis: an economic
one, connected to the estate speculations, another one, the environmental one,
connected to unprecedented climatic changes and, finally, that of generations. The
exhibition compiled texts, images and data on those, with no clear distinction
which texts are part of which crisis. The phrase Rien ne va Plus comes from the
roulette. It literally stands for the moment when all bets are made, the moment
of suspense between the results. Literally, Rien ne va Plus is the moment when
everything stops.

an exhibitiOn made by: Powerhouse

Company (the Netherlands)
Organizers in buCharest: Zeppelin
Association and Pavilion Unicredit, Union of
Romanian Architects
suPPOrted by: Embassy of the Netherlands,
Pavilion Unicredit, Administration of the
National Cultural Heritage
Partner: Roca
sPOnsOr: Hansen

Bucharest Architecture Biennale

2004, 2006, 2008, 2010

The Zeppelin team organized the 20042010 editions of the Bucharest

Architecture Biennale, which travelled in 10 cities in the country later on, the
competitionexhibitions of the most valuable Romanian works of architecture.
During the 7 (20042011) years when the Zeppelin team built the identity and the
programme of the biennale, the number of entries in the competition, the visi
tors of exhibitions and the international exposure of the Romanian architecture
production were constantly growing. The vision of Zeppelin team was to open
the discourse of architecture and the issues of the current production to a space
of intercultural, crossdisciplinary dialogue, with a certain access to a cultivated
audience. Given this context, it was important for the Zeppelin team to create a
wide related cultural programme, exhibitions and conferences placing the local
production against wider cultural trends, opening thus the opportunity of under
standing certain European/international directions in architecture. The impor
tance of the architecture biennale grew from one edition to the next one, and the
size and professional relevance of the event were greater and greater, so that,
today, we can speak of a new generation of Romanian architecture.

2010
2004

bab 2004
Organizers: Union of Architects in Romania,
Ion Mincu University of Architecture and
Urban Planning
main sPOnsOrs: Carpatcement, Graphisoft,
Delta Distribution
sPOnsOrs: Knauf, Titan Mar, Stage Expert,
Franke, Hewlett Packard, Wienerberger,
Cotnari, Crtureti, National Housing
Agency, National Investments Company,
RuukkiRomania
bab 2006
Organizers: Zeppelin team, Union of
Architects in Romania
main sPOnsOrs: Henkel Bautechnik, Dupont
Romania
sPOnsOrs: Knauf, Velux, Bramac,
MonsMedius, Delta Design, Hunter Douglas,
Steelcase Romania, Isover, Lafarge,
Xerox,Fakro
suPPOrted by: Bicau, Bucharest Sector
1 City Hall, Ministry of Culture and Cults,
Administration of National Cultural Heritage,
National Museum of Contemporary Art,
National Investments Company, Embassy
of Japan in Bucharest, Japan Foundation,
StageExpert
bab 2008
Organizers: Zeppelin team, Union of
Architects in Romania
suPPOrted by: Museum of Romanian
Peasant, National Museum of Contemporary
Art, Bucharest City Museum, Administration
of National Cultural Heritage, Czech Centre
Partner: Cembrit
main sPOnsOrs: Final Distribution, Velux,
National Investments Commission
Sponsors: Rheinzink, Apla, Alukonigstahl,
Kludi, Steelcase Romania, Energobit Schreder,
Bramac, Rigips, Bicau, Romstal,Crtureti
bab 2010
Organizers: Zeppelin Association, Union of
Architects in Romania
suPPOrted by: Dutch Embassy, Polish
Institute, National Museum of Contemporary
Art, Administration of National Cultural
Heritage, ERSE Foundation, Swiss
Architecture Museum in Basel, Asirom,
Austrian Cultural Forum, Quehenberger,
Goethe Institute, Centre for Visual
Introspection
Partner: Roca
sPOnsOrs: Rockwool, Velux, Lafarge,
FSB, Hafele, Knauf Insulation, Energobit
Schreder, Egger, Fastius, Bang & Olufsen,
BMW official car of BAB 2010, Geze, Sika,
BelProfile,Tassullo

arhitEkton
magazine

builder of illusions

graditelj iluzija

prin partener arboreverde

Magic Blocks 2010 Behind the concrete curtain

Research and urban planning project in Bucharest

Following the project started in 2009, the team focused the research activities on
the grand boulevards with blocks from the socialist era and the waste areas behind
them, to find out solutions and draw up a strategy to turn those nobodys lands
into genuine public spaces and use them as components of activating the historical
city behind the concrete curtain. The historical boulevard Calea Moilor which
developed a lot in the 80s was selected as a studycase. The proposed strategy
develops the principles of an intervention area (a new public space), an opening
of the concrete curtain through a series of public functions and a regulation
system to foster investments and the improvement of life in the area. The project
defines three types of areas: an intervention one, to cover the space left free
behind the rows of blocks and which can be changed into a system of public places
through a series of modernizing actions managed by the administration; a protec
tion area which coincides, mostly, with the protected historical area; between
them, a buffer zone, made of the old streets, the lots and the private buildings
whose development needs to comply with urban planning regulations. Those will
contribute to save the protection area through attracting those interested to build
to the buffer zone, and investments (private and public) in commercial spaces,
community services, garages etc. will contribute to improve the quality of the
public space and the life of the locals.
The project was selected as finalist at the VIIth edition of the European Prize for
Urban Public Space, organised by Centre de Cultura Contempornia de Barcelona,
beeing selected from 347 submitted projects from 36 european contries.

PrOjeCt authOrs: Zeppelin Association,

Point4, Archis Interventions, Hackenbroich
Architekten, in cooperation with ATU, Space
Syntax Romania, StudioBASAR, Platforma 9.1
suPPOrted by: Erste Stiftung, Administration
of National Cultural Heritage, Union of
Romanian Architects, Goethe Institut
Partner: Roca

Magic Blocks 2010

Urban interventions

Calea Moilor 2010: an aggressive and grey concrete curtain, specific to the 80s,
which cuts a historical fabric and divides the city in two: in front of the boulevard
a dense and well equipped city, yet ugly and aggressive, and behind, the historical
city, hidden and isolated. The project team proposed a series of interventions
meant to activate the area behind the curtains of blocks, as spaces of community
and public places part of the historical fabric. Those abandoned places after the
totalitarian interventions have a huge potential to locate certain genuine public
places, articulate the two kinds of city and reintegrate in the collective memory,
in the urban structure and the general touristic circuit of an isolated heritage. The
project aimed at very small sites, unoccupied and unclaimed by anyone, where
various types of interventions were carried out, symbolically, with the partici
pation of the locals, meant to meet their immediate needs but also respect and
express the development scenario of that place. The interventions were four:
a passage, a playground, a bench as a staircase, and a close turned into an open
living were meant to test the ideas of the project, stimulate the start of real
interventions and support the locals in expressing their opinions and get involved
better in the change of their own life space.

PrOjeCt authOrs: Zeppelin Association,

Point4, Archis Interventions, Hackenbroich
Architekten, in cooperation with ATU, Space
Syntax Romania, StudioBASAR, Platforma 9.1
suPPOrted by: Erste Stiftung, Administration
of National Cultural Heritage, Goethe Institut,
Union of Romanian Architects, Centre for
Visual Introspection
Partner: Roca

Magic Blocks 2010 Behind the concrete curtain

Exhibition/ 14.105.11.2010, Centre for Visual Inrospection, Bucharest

The exhition presented the results of the Magic Blocks 2010 project to the
audience the key ideas ideas of the study and the strategy for urban activa
tion, the interventions in the public space behind the blocks on Calea Moilor
andadocumentary.

PrOjeCt authOrs: Zeppelin Association,

Point4, Archis Interventions, Hackenbroich
Architekten, in cooperation with ATU, Space
Syntax Romania, StudioBASAR, Platforma 9.1
suPPOrted by: Erste Stiftung, Administration
of National Cultural Heritage, Goethe Institut,
Union of Romanian Architects, Centre for
Visual Introspection
Partner: Roca

Magic Blocks 2010 Behind the Concrete Curtain

Publication

Concrete curtains cross the entire center of Bucharest: tens of kilometers of

uninterrupted blocks lined boulevards built in the 70s and 80s. Behind them lies
the old town, with streets and houses, churches and trees. Between blocks and
the old town, free spaces lie there, as resulted after demolitions. Magic Blocks
Project 2010 proposes an urban strategy for this type of spaces in Bucharest, and
Calea Mosilor was chosen as a case study. Four interventions in public space are
presented, with the local community involvement, as a starting point for future
largerscale operations.

Magic
Blocks
2010

26

Non-spaiu
n spatele
cortinei de
beton

Zon tampon

Zon protejat

Situaia existent
O cortin de beton,
zona haotic din
spatele acesteia, marginile zonei istorice
centrale. Aceasta din
urm este practic invizibil n cadrul imaginii generale a oraului
i este distrus n mod
accelerat printr-o serie
de proiecte individuale
speculative.

Despre ce fel de teritorii vorbim

Zon tampon

Zon protejat

Noul spaiu public

Strategie de
intervenie
Strategia dezvolt
principiile unei zone
de intervenie (un
nou spaiu public), o
deschidere a cortinei
printr-o serie de funcii publice la parterele
blocurilor i un sistem
de reglementare n
zona tampon, care va
favoriza investiiile i
mbuntirea calitii
vieii din zon.

la fel de haotic folosite ca toate celelalte, ns

gie pentru proiectele de construcii noi din veci-

tuit din strzile vechi, loturile de teren i cl-

mai degrab ascunse i linitite. Credem c ar

gard nou din beton i un spate de bloc. Mijlocul

ntatea acestora. E nevoie nu doar de proiecte

diri private, a cror dezvoltare trebuie s se

ajunge s fie limitat accesul auto, rearanjate

su este ocupat de un parapet din beton care

pentru parcri i spaii verzi, ci i de o viziune

realizeze conform regulamentelor urbanistice.

parcrile, plantai mai muli copaci pentru a se

mpiedic parcarea. Scaune i cuiere recuperate,

urban.

Reglementrile ar contribui la salvarea zonei

ajunge la un ansamblu de grdini aparinnd

prinse de parapet i un covor din pietri mrgi-

de protecie, prin atragerea investitorilor care

mai degrab locuitorilor din blocuri i unde str-

nit de o ram din lemn compun un salon linitit

azi vor s construiasc acolo spre zona-tampon.

inii ar fi mai puin tentai s intre.

n aer liber.

iul rmas liber din spatele irurilor de blocuri.

Aceste investiii private (dar i publice) n spa-

Fcnd parte din domeniul public, ea poate fi

ii comerciale, servicii, comunitare, garaje, vor

transformat ntr-un sistem de spaii publice

aduce bani i vor contribui la crearea unui spaiu

printr-o serie de aciuni de modernizare conduse

public activ i la creterea standardului zonei.

de organele administrative.
Zon de intervenie
Zon tampon

O strategie care
cuprinde 3 zone

30

Exemplul prezentat
aici este poriunea de
teren dintre Calea Moilor i strzile Marcel
Iancu, Episcopul Radu
i Ardeleni.

Idei, principii, instrumente

Teritoriile care compun Calea Moilor ar trebui s fac obiectul unor proiecte de amenajare

Instrumentele pentru regenerarea zonei fac

Asociaia Zeppelin: Cosmina Goagea,

Colaboratori: Radu Leevschi, Andra Stan.

tefan Ghenciulescu

Autorii interveniilor n spaiul public:

parte din dou categorii eseniale:

Point 4: Justin Baroncea

Justin Baroncea, tefan Ghenciulescu,

o regndire a spaiului public: n locul haosu-

Archis Interventions: Kai Vckler

Cosmina Goagea, Radu Leevschi,

lui actual de strdue, alei, maidane, propunem

Hackenbroich Architekten:

Teodora Rduc, Andra Stan, Cristian Niculici

o limitare a accesului auto (inclusiv a parcri-

Wilfried Hackenbroich

Autorii bncii din lemn pentru intervenia 2

rite (spaii mai mult sau mai puin largi, accesi-

lor) i crearea a dou tipuri de zone pietonale:

Colaboratori: Teodora Rduc, Andra Stan,

(locul de joac): studioBASAR (Alexandru Axinte,

bile, nchise fa de bulevard etc.). n schimb, ele

una cu un caracter foarte public i deschis, cea-

Radu Leevschi, Gagyi Zsofi, Ioana Pvluc,

Cristian Borcan)

se repet n alte locuri din ora. Din acest motiv,

lalt, cu un caracter mai degrab semi-public,

Tudor Elian

Producia elementelor din lemn, recondiionri:

am preferat s aplicm soluii adaptate aces-

folosit mai ales de ctre locuitorii din imediata

tor locuri reale, ns n acelai timp capabile s

vecintate.

Dezvoltarea proiectului:

Designul grafic al expoziiei i al acestei

reprezinte modele mai generale.

activiti ce ar putea avea loc n cadrul spa-

Zeppelin: tefan Ghenciulescu

publicaii: Radu Manelici

Ucin Company

iului public, precum i modificri funcionale

Point 4: Carmen Popescu

Fotografii: Echipa proiectului, Drago Lumpan,

mimm proiecte detaliate (care ar trebui elabo-

la parterul blocurilor sau reglementri n zona

Archis Interventions: Kai Vckler

Daniel Constantinescu

rate ca o etap a unei operaii pe termen lung),

tampon (restructurare de parcele, orientarea

Hackenbroich Architekten:

Autori film: Daniel Constantinescu,

ci doar s indicm un set de principii, i pe baza

construciilor noi ctre spaiul public etc.).

Wilfried Hackenbroich

Victor Velculescu

n cadrul studiului nostru, nu am ncercat s

@
P

autori i colaboratori
Workshop martie 2010:

tipuri de zone.

mentri privind zona tampon.

situaiile din spatele blocurilor sunt foarte dife-

Magic
Blocks
2010

acestora, s elaborm scenarii pentru diferitele

urban (n zona de intervenie) i al unor regleDe fapt, dincolo de caracteristicile generale,

Spaiul verde ngrdit

spre Calea Moilor ar
deveni o adevrat
pia urban inaccesibil mainilor, aleea
continu din spate
s-ar transforma n
dou fundturi cu
parcajele aferente, iar
poriunile dintre blocuri i strzi sau dintre
blocuri i case ar
deveni grdini folosite
de ctre locatari.

zile Popa Petre, Sptarului i Corbeni se afl un

mic spaiu abandonat, mrginit de calcane, un

O zon de intervenie, care s acopere spa-

Magic
Blocks
2010

ntr-un astfel de loc, ntre Calea Moilor i str-

de a deveni spaii publice vii. Uneori gsim locuri

ntre acestea dou, o zon tampon consti-

Credem c amenajarea spaiului din spatele

un salon urban
Nu toate zonele din spatele blocurilor sunt apte

zona istoric protejat.

blocurilor nu poate fi conceput fr o strate-

Am definit trei tipuri de zone:

Zona de
intervenie

Magic
Blocks
2010

O zon de protecie, care coincide n mare cu

P
P

P
P
P
P

P
P

P
P

i
P
P

transformare a zonei.

spaii tehnice, i poate nceputul unei aciuni de

StudioBASAR i care a trebuit s plece de la locul

Un embrion de spaiu public, ntre maini i

ramp. Banca creat anul trecut de colegii de la

chiar nainte de a fi terminat.

O plas nchide balustrada periculoas ctre

care s fac locul mai sigur i mai prietenos.

www.
e-zeppelin.ro/
magic-blocks

nat cel mai bine. Ne-au ajutat i stat alturi (mai

ales copiii) iar locul a nceput s fie folosit intens

A fost intervenia la care locuitorii au reacio-

ntlniri. Nu am avut dect s ntrim ceea ce se

ntmpla deja i s adugm doar acele lucruri

i ptraica.

tru, acest loc ar deveni o zon de sport, joac i

marcaje pentru jocuri: fotbal la o poart, pereica

drept loc de joac, iar, n cadrul studiului nos-

Cteva pete i dungi de vopsea deseneaz

ctre subsol. Copiii din blocuri o foloseau deja

form nconjurat de cldiri tehnice i o ramp

Proiectul este
susinut de:

devine n acelai timp loc de stat i plvrgit,

ct i tribun pentru jocuri.

curi colorate te conduce, asemenea firimiturilor

lui Hnsel i Gretel, ctre un al doilea loc, o plat-

cleaner

su din cartierul Aviaiei este reamplasat i

ctre asociaia
zeppelin,
point4, archis
interventions
i hackenbroich
architekten.
prima etap a
proiectului s-a
concretizat n
dou publicaii,
un film i o
expoziie la
centrul de
introspecie
vizual
bucureti.

carpet

un loc al comunitii
Din pasajul descris mai devreme, un ir de cer-

programul
magic blocks
se desfoar
din 2010 i
este dedicat
elaborrii
de strategii,
idei, scenarii
alternative i
aciuni cu privire
la reabilitarea
ansamblurilor
de locuine
din perioada
socialist din
romnia.
magic blocks
2010 este un
proiect din
cadrul acestui
program i a
fost iniiat de

16

Magic
Blocks
2010

Magic Blocks 2009

Research

The research project provides a sythesis, scenarios, princples and studycases, as

well as coherent strategies of intervention and models of projects to rehabili
tate the ensembles of the socialist era in Bucharest. Over 70% of the people in
Bucharest live in blocks built in the socialist era, which degraded over time and
point to considerable economic and social issues. In addition, the low accept
ance of urbanity of some of the locals and the concentration on the own private
space resulted in the change of the former uniform structures into a type of
vertical villages. Any block turned into a collection of private spaces, upon which
improvement actions are focused. The key concept of the project is that the reha
bilitation of those neighbourhoods does not limit to technical improvements, but
must be seen as a complex programme of urban regeneration which also cover the
spatial, social and economic issues. The rehabilitation interventions will work only
if the activation of a common action is successful. A realist strategy implies the set
up of a participating, counseling and communication mechanism between various
partners (association of owners, authorities, funders, project authors, builders
etc.) to identify issues, define, accept through negotiation and communicate an
economic and technical project and carry it out as a set of coordinated actions.

Organizers: Zeppelin Association, Point4

and Archis Interventions, in cooperation with
ATU, Space Syntax Romania, Hackenbroich
Architekten, Platforma 9.1
PrOjeCt funded by: Romanian Cultural
Institute through Cantemir Programme
suPPOrted by: Museum of Romanian
Peasant, Union of Romanian Architects,
ERSTE Foundation, Bucharest Austrian
Cultural Forum, Embassy of the Netherlands
at Bucharest, Rehau Art, Baumax,
WienerbergerPorotherm, BCR
Partners: Velux, Roca
sPOnsOrs: Rockwool, Gealan, Resido,
Fakro,Dulux

Magic Blocks 2009

Exhibitions/ Berlin, Bucharest & Moscova

The results of the first stage of the Magic Blocks programme (studycases, ideas,
principles and possible solutions for a complex reviving strategy of the housing
areas in the socialist era) were the theme of three international exhibitions: in
Berlin, at AedesLand, Savignyplatz (8 September 29 October 2009), then in
Bucharest, (926 November 2009) at the Museum of the Romanian Peasant,
Aquarium hall, and in Moscow (2630 may 2010) part of the Moscow ARCH
International Architecture and Design Biennale.

initiative & management:

ArchisInterventions, Zeppelin, Point 4
Partneri: ATU, Space Sytax Romania,
Hackenbroich Architekten, Platform 9,81
PrOjeCt funded by: Romanian Cultural
Institute through the Cantemir Programme
suPPOrted by: ERSTE Foundaiton, Union of
Romanian Architects (based on the funding
from the architecture stamp tax), Austrian
Cultural Forum, Wienerberger, BCR, Embassy
of the Netherlands

Magic Blocks 2009

Book

Scenarios of the socialist blocks in Bucharest

A book on social and cultural problems, on architecture and public space, about
the economy and community, about identity and, especially, about the power and
potential of these ensembles. After an overview of Bucharest as a case study, ideas
and principles are proposed for a regeneration strategy, as well as possible solu
tions for some representative sites.

edited by: Zeppelin

editOrs: tefan Ghenciulescu,
ConstantinGoagea, Kai Vockler
ISBN 9789730069426

FUNCIUNI

a
ad
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er
np
di
ive
ile
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ur
lle t
oc i
bl et t co res
r s a
tru cu iali ch
en Bu oc Bu
ii p n r s in
ar t fo es
en lis s tat
Sc cia ario es
so cen ing
S ous
h
SPORT

EDUCAIE
COMER
LOCURI DE JOAC
SPECTACOL

SPTMNAL
ZILNIC

ANUAL

CULTUR
NATUR
RECREERE

Activarea spaiului public

Urban Activation Of Public Space
CET
EN
I
C

RE
V

ACTORI

EN

RESI D

EN

IZ

DURATI

IT

PERMANENT

DE

TS

LUNAR
EC

REZIDENI

ZI

ASOCIAII DE PROPIETARI

CETENI AI ORAULUI GOSPODRII VECINI

activare ActivAting

ASOCIERI ALE ASOCIAIILOR DE PROPIETARI

Activarea spaiului public

O matrice cu diferite
funciuni i actori indic
posibilitile de principiu
de a activa spaiul liber
pe durat temporar sau
permanent.

IN

NEIG

H BO U R S

A continuous urban public space behind the

Concrete Curtains
The open space on Moilor boulevard can be seen as a
potential urban public space for local residents as well as
for neighbours from the historical center and for citizens
in general. By lending spaces different functions and by
activating them a sequence of differentiated and dynamic
public spaces will appear.

Un spaiu public continuu n spatele cortinei de beton

Spaiul liber de pe Calea Moilor poate fi privit drept un
potenial spaiu public nu doar pentru locuitorii blocurilor,
ci i pentru vecinii din centrul istoric i pentru cetenii
oraului, n general. Insernd funciuni i activnd aceste
zone moarte, s-ar obine n anumite poriuni secvene ale
unui spaiu public continuu i dinamic.

RA

/B

US

EDUCATION
COMMERCIAL
CULTURE
KIDS - SPACE
NATURE
ENTERTAINMENT
RECREATION
/A
UT
OB
UZ

CA

YEARLY

AM
VA
I

MONTHLY

PERMANENT

TR

WEEKLY
DAILY

HOUSEHOLDS

CITIZENS
NEIGHBOURS

ASSOCIATIONS OF H.O.A.

M
A
IN

HOME OWNER ASSOCIATIONS

Beyond global identity a superposition of differences

i totui, aa cum tim cu toii cnd

trecem de la discursul general despre
blocuri la unul particularizat despre blocul
fiecruia, ele nu sunt deloc la fel. Dincolo
de cele enunate mai sus, locuirea din
perioada socialist nu a fost uniform.
O suprapunere de diferene determin
caracteristice extrem de diferite. Exist
mai multe tipuri de rezolvri arhitecturale
i urbane, date de perioada n care au fost
construite, de regimul de nlime, de sistemul constructiv, de densitate. Localizarea n centru (vom reveni asupra acestei
specificiti romneti) sau la periferie,
ntr-o zon foarte accesibil sau, dimpotriv, izolat determin diferene uriae
de valoare efectiv i percepie ntre
ansambluri altfel identice ca rezolvare.
Vrsta lor declaneaz discrepane enorme ale valorii economice (acum c ele se
afl de 20 de ani pe piaa liber): gradul de
uzur al construciei i al echipamentelor,
gradul de rezisten la cutremure (din ce
n ce mai bun pe msur ce sunt mai noi),
suprafaa apartamentelor etc.
O privire orict de sumar asupra hrii
oraului ne d imediat cteva categorii.
Avem de exemplu (puine) locuine din
perioada stalinist sau plombe n centru,
a cror scar, situaie urban i sisteme
constructive le apropie mai degrab de
exemplele antebelice.
Asemntor majoritii oraelor din estul
Europei, avem mari cartiere funcionaliste, uneori de 200.000 - 400.000 de

And yet as we all know, when the general

discourse moves from the generic level of
blocks to that of the block in which we live,
no two blocks are quite the same. The above
discussion apart, dwelling during the socialist
era was far from uniform. A superposition
of differences results in features that vary
greatly. Architectural and urban solutions vary
according to the period when they were put
into practice, to height regulations, building
systems, density. On the other hand, despite
sometimes identical architectural ensemble
solutions, location be it central (massive operations in the center are typical for
totalitarian planning in Romania) or suburban,
readily accessible or rather isolated - yields
huge differences in value as well as in perception. How old a building is constitutes
another major differentiating factor when it
comes to market value, now that such blocks
have been on the market for nearly twenty
years; the wear and tear of buildings and their
equipment is under scrutiny as is earthquake
resistance (the newer the building the better),
the size of apartments, etc.
A brief look at a city map will instantly reveal
a number of block categories. For instance
there are few housing ensembles that date
back to the Stalinist period; similarly there are
only a few central inserts whose scale, urban
context and building solutions are closer to
those dating from the interwar period.
Like most other European cities, Bucharest
has its fair share of immense functionalist
neighbourhoods which can count as many as

Tipologii de cartiere
de blocuri din perioada
socialist (exemple).
Examples of socialist
neighborhood typologies
in the city.

construirea i activarea unui mecanism

financiar
1. nfiinarea unei agenii (independente sau
din cadrul primriei)
2. montarea proiectului mpreun cu
asociaia de proprietari 3. obinerea de
fonduri de la un partener privat 4. lansarea
proiectului
constructing and activating a financial
mechanism
1. Founding of an agency (independent
or integrated into the city hall office) 2.
building up a project with the home owner
Association 3. Fund raising from a private
partner
4. launching of the project

parterul devine activ (i productiv)

definirea structurii funcionale i proiecte
pentru conversia parterului
Amenajare: spaii comerciale i servicii
publice
spaiile de la parter ncep s devin rentabile
i apte de a finana alte operaii pentru imobil.
The ground floor becomes active (and
pproductive)
Functional structure and design for the
ground floor conversion
construction: commercial spaces and
public services
The ground floor spaces start to bring in
money and to be able to finance other
operations for the building

mansarda cu apartamente pentru locuitorii

de la parter
1. proiectarea i construirea unui nivel de
mansard
2. locuitorii de la parter ii cedeaz apartamentele i se mut la mansard
3. spaiul eliberat la parter intr n administrarea ageniei
The mansarde apartments for the
ground floor inhabitants
1. design and construction of an attic level
2. The inhabitants from the ground floor
apartments move into the attic dwellings
3. The free ground floor space gets into the
administration of the agency

reabilitare integrat finanat prin nchirierea spaiilor de la parter

1. nlocuirea instalaiilor existente (termice/
electrice/sanitare)
2. mbuntirea condiiilor bioclimatice
i a impactului ecologic (izolare termic,
obloane) 3. tratarea faadei, reabilitarea i
ntreinerea spaiilor comune
overall rehabiliation financed by the ground
flooor rental
1. replacement of the existing installations: thermical / electrical / sanitary 2.
dwelling and ecologic improvement: thermal insulation, shading panels 3. Faade
insulation, rehabilitation and maintaining
of common spaces.

104 | MaGiC blOCKS

20 | MAGIC BLOCKS

Rehabilitation as a
community project

OVERVIEW

concluzie COnCLuSIOn

Reabilitarea ca proiect
comunitar

O orgie a modificrilor individuale. Balcoanele devin verande

nchise, extinderi ale spaiilor interioare, curi individuale
suprapuse, depozitri etc. Preferinele personale i (mai
ales) statutul social sunt vizibile n materialele i tehnicile
cu care se realizeaz interveniile. Aceste schimbri sunt de
obicei ilegale i au un rezultat architectural deplorabil ns
exprim o nevoi evidente i omniprezente i care ar trebui
luate n seam de orice strategie de reabilitare.

An orgy of individual changes. Balconies become glazed

loggias, extensions of rooms, superposed courtyards,
storage spaces, etc. Personal taste and (particularly) social
status are expressed by the materials and techniques used.
These changes are usually illegal and their architectural
outcome is deplorable, but they express obvious and
general needs and should therefore be taken into account
by any rehabilitation strategy.

32 | MAGIC BLOCKS

MAgic BLocKS | 55

Tipul 1 - cldiri nalte

Type 1 high buildings
lng boulevard.
along the boulevard.
Mecanism de reabilitare Rehabilitation
mechanism

REABILITARE ReHabilitatiON

OVERVIEW

54 | MAgic BLocKS

Dincolo de identitatea
global, o suprapunere
de diferene

SPAIU PUBLIC
PUBLIC SPACES

Activation of open space

A matrix with different
functions and actors shows
in principle the possibilities
for short- or long-term
activation of open space.

RESIDENTS

P
PE IETO
DE N
ST I
RIA

ACTORS

I/

DURATION

RS

/T

FUNCTIONS

O secven de spaii publice active

Sequence / Continous Public Spaces

SPORT

MAGIC BLOCKS | 33

Concluzii (1). Principii

pentru o strategie de
reabilitare

Conclusions (1). Principles for a Rehabilitation

Strategy

n primul rnd, ar trebui s vorbim despre

regenerare urban i de-abia n al doilea
plan, despre probleme tehnice. Tehnicile
exist, pot fi importate i adaptate din alte
ri care se ocup de mult vreme deja
de reabilitarea fondului din anii 60 70;
montajul urbanistic, economic i financiar
trebuie ns s rspund unei situaii foarte
specifice, caracterizat prin structura proprietii, diversitatea de situaii i localizri,
lipsa unei culturi comunitare.

First, lets talk about urban regeneration

and leave the technical problems for later.
Rehabilitation techniques can be imported
and adapted from countries that have long
been busy rehabilitating their 1960s and 70s
stock; we mostly need a fit-for-purpose
urban, economic, and financial frame. This
frame needs to address specific conditions
here, such as property structure, various individual circumstances and locations, as well
as a non-existent community culture.

Urgena unei aciuni coerente este maxim. Degradarea construciilor i echipamentelor (deloc influenat de micile
mbuntiri individuale) i, independent de
aceasta, scderea accelerat a valorii din
cauza amplasamentului i a apariiei noilor
ansambluri va duce la probleme economice (dispariia unor valori, srcire, lipsa
posibilitilor de reabilitare) i, evident,
sociale (ghetoizare i apariia cartierelorproblem cu toate consecinele ce decurg
din aceasta).

Urgent coherent action is required. We

are faced with a dilapidated building stock
whose facilities are in very bad shape; small
individual refurbishments cannot improve
their state in any way; bedsides price drop
caused by changing perceptions about
locations and the availability of new housing
developments will lead to major problems,
economic (loss of certain values, poverty
increase, lack of rehabilitation means) as
well as social (the emergence of ghettos
and problem-causing neighbourhoods
with everything they entail).

Strategii diferite pentrU SitUaii diferite dat fiind faptul c masa de blocuri gri

different contextS call for different StrategieS given the superposition

se compune de fapt dintr-o suprapunere

de diferene spaiale i sociale. De fapt,
nici nu tim destul despre aceste cartiere.
Este esenial constituirea unei baze de
date (structur social pe cartiere, analiz economic, decupaje arhitecturale i

of spatial as much as social differences.

Indeed we know very little about these
neigbourhoods. The setting of a database
is essential. This should comprise information about the neigbourhoods social
structure, an economic and legal analysis,

108 | MAGIC BLOCKS

MaGiC blOCKS | 105

urbane, situaii juridice) care s permit

aciuni intite.

architectural and urban contexts, all of which would enable well-tailored action plans.

activarea prin SpaiUl pUblic din care

avem o rezerv uria. Acesta ar trebui s
devin un element al locuirii, de importan aproape egal cu cea a construciilor.
n orice tip de societate urban, calitatea
spaiului public este un factor esenial
pentru valorizarea (inclusiv economic)
a unui loc i, totodat, una dintre cele
mai eficiente componente ale reabilitrii:
investiii minime cu un efect considerabil i
care, odat realizate, declaneaz operaiuni individuale.

activate pUblic Space of which we have a

yet untapped reservoire. It should become
an integral element of dwelling, almost as
important as buildings. In any urban society, the quality of public space contributes
to the status of a place as much as to its
economic value and is one of the most
efficient components of the rehabilitation
process. The small investments it requires
yield considerable impact and once in place,
trigger individual actions.

proiectUl Urban ar trebui s integreze

aciunile disparate: locuitorii care aduc
mbuntiri individuale i acapareaz
buci de spaiu public, autoritile care
propun programe de reabilitare termic, administraia domeniului public care
amenajeaz spaiul liber etc.
Proiect urban nseamn att planificare (prin PUD-uri i PUZ-uri) aplicat
unor arii bine definite, ct i proiecte de
amenajare a spaiului public; de fapt, de o
gndire arhitectural i urban a ntregului proces.

the Urban project should integrate the

otherwise disparate actions: inhabitants
who make individual refurbishments and
appropriate chunks of public space, authorities who embark on thermo-rehabilitation
programmes, the department of public
domain which landscapes the vacant public
space, a.s.o.
An urban project includes both planning
regulating strictly defined city areas (detail
and zone development plans), and public
space projects indeed a process structured in architectural and in urban planning
terms.

e nevoie de cineva care S aSambleze

Someone haS to pUt all the pieceS

pieSele, adic de o organizaie s o numim agenie care ar trebui s coordoneze operaiile; fie c este vorba despre
o agenie n cadrul administraiei locale
sau a ministerului de resort, fie despre
un ONG specializat, aceast organizaie
ar avea o componen multidisciplinar
i ar aciona exact n punctul cel mai slab:
relaia dintre asociaiile de proprietari
i autoriti sau instituii de credit. Este

together namely an organization lets

say an agency tasked to coordinate all
operations. It could be a local administration or ministry department or it could be
just as well a specialised NGO. Whatever
its subordination, this body should consist
of a multi-disciplinary team whose role is
to mediate the relation between owners
associations and authorities or lending institutions, that is to say act where support is

MAGIC BLOCKS | 109

Magic Blocks 2009

International conferences and expo Balkanology/ 20092010, Bucharest, Vienna, Cluj, Istanbul,
Moscow (conferences); Vienna, Bucharest, Belgrade, Sofia, Podgorica (expo)

The results of the first stage of Magic Blocks were communicated in a series of
5 international conferences focused on the real principles, strategies and exam
ples to revive the public space and carry out community projects: 1. In Bucharest
(16.11.2009) Museum of the Romanian Peasant with the participation of
Michale Obrist (Austria), Kai Vckler (Germany), Ivan Kucina(Serbia), Marko
Sancanin (Croatia), Justin Baroncea (Romania). 2. In Vienna (20.11.2009)
Architekturzentrum, under the 17.Wiener Architektur Kongress lecturer tefan
Ghenciulescu; in Cluj (14.05.2010) Cinema Victoria, part of the Architecture
Days in Cluj lecturer Constantin Goagea; 4. In Istanbul (21.05.2010)
Bahcesehir University, part of the International Policy Forum of Urban Growth
and Conservation in EuroAsian Coridor, lecturer Cosmina Goagea. 5. in Moscow
(29.05.2010) House of the Artist, part of the 2010 International Biennale of
Architecture lecturer Constantin Goagea.

Organizers: Zeppelin Association, Point4

and Archis Interventions, in cooperation with
ATU, Space Syntax Romania, Hackenbroich
Architekten, Platform 9.1

A short version of the 2009 Magic Blocks project was integrated, as a section
about Romania, in the Balkanology. New Architecture and Urban Phenomena
in South Eastern Europe international exhibition which travelled in 5 coun
tries (2009: AzW/ Architecture Center Vienna. 2010: National Museum of
Contemporary Art, Bucharest. 2011: Belgrade Heritage House, Belgrade
International Architecture Week; Art Pavilion, Podgorica; Vivacom Art Hall, Sofia
Architecture Week.)

sPOnsOrs: Rockwool, Gealan, Resido,

Fakro,Dulux

PrOjeCt funded by: Romanian Cultural

Institute through the Cantemir Programme
suPPOrted by: Museum of Romanian
Peasant, Union of Romanian Architects,
ERSTE Foundation, Bucharest Austrian
Cultural Forum, Embassy of the Netherlands
at Bucharest, Rehau Art, Baumax,
WienerbergerPorotherm, BCR
Partners: Velux, Roca

Inv
Ba
urb

Vin
Tur

Exp
Bas

cura

Cd
gari
can
Belg
Balk
ilus
proc

Ini
tura
nere

V i
MNA
intr

Arhitectura magazine

The three members of Zeppelin editorial board (Constantin Goagea, Cosmina

Goagea & tefan Ghenciulescu) have participated to the creation of several
Romanian architectural publications: the online magazine Virtualia (www.
virtualia.virtualia.ong.ro), the Romanian edition of Octogon magazine, and the
re+invention in 199 of Arhitectura magazine (founded 1906) and its regular publi
cation until 2010 (90 issues).
Starting with 2011, the team continued to publish an architectural magazine
under the name of Zeppelin (Architecture. Space. Ideas). Given the complete team,
program and format continuity, the first issue of Zeppelin was numbered 91.

2010
1999

American Avantgarde

2010

Book

50 years of architecture: from modernism to minimalism

edited: Zeppelin & IonMincu University

Publishing House, Bucharest

Modernism, latemodernism, postmodernism, deconstruction, minimalism.

text & PhOtO: Cosmin Caciuc
13American cities from New York to Los Angeles. 50 years of modern architec
ture. 60 famous architects from Louis Kahn to Mies van der Rohe, and from Frank editOrs: tefan Ghenciulescu, Cosmina
Goagea, Constantin Goagea
Gehry to DavidAdjaye.
Pages: 372
size: 24 x 22 cm
ISBN 9789731884608

Zeppelin Laboratory

2010

Book

25 hours of discussions, 11 architects + 1 designer, 20projects

edited by: Zeppelin

A selection of the material derived from the first two years of Zeppelin meet
ings: social and community architecture, tiny homes, interventions in public
spaces, actionism and nonbuilding, logic and reason.

ISBN: 9789730088755

in

el

pp

ze

or

at

o
ab

00

intro

012

zeppelin 03 2008: Constantin & Cosmina Goagea

018 Cteva lucruri aleatorii despre Tokyo / Random facts about Tokyo
zeppelin 04 2008: Juan Trias de Bes /TDB Arquitectura/
068 Forma-peisaj / Form-landscape
072
Lectura topograc / Topographic reading
078 Spiritul locului / Genius loci
084 Modelare topograc / Topographic model
zeppelin 05 2008: Yasuhiro Yamashita /Tekuto studio/
106 Experimentul constructiv radical / Radical constructive experiment
110
Anvelopanta structural reinventat / Reinvented structural envelope
118
Spaiul imploziv / Implosive space
122
Destabilizarea percepiei / Shaking the perception
zeppelin 07 2008: erban Sturdza
148
Regionalism critic / Critical regionalism
154
Recuperarea tipologic / Typological retrieval
158
Intervenia discret / Discreet intervention
160 Arhitectura complet / Complete architecture
zeppelin 09 2008: Angelo Rovena
180 Bricolaj inteligent / Intelligent bricolage
188
Socio-arhitectura / Social architecture
208 Integrare / Integration

064

10

100

144

172

216

246

280

308

330

210

ore i
de i
25 discu
de re r
sp tu
de itec
arh
rs
hou
25 lks
ta
of t ture
ou
ab itec
arch

lin
ppe

ze

0
tor

ra

bo

La

NU

CLE

zeppelin 04 2008
64

Juan Trias de Bes

/TDB Arquitectura/
Barcelona, Spain

Peisajul urban ca genez

a proiectului

03

03

65

03

219

'08
229

228

04

246

Dorin tefan DSBA

246

'09

Proiecte recente

247

Recent projects

14

problema spaiului urban orizontal i vertical: propunerea de refaadare a Bibliotecii

Naionale (2008)

'09

247

The issue of the horizontal and vertical urban space: the proposal for a new faade of the National Library (2008)

dezvoltarea urban dens, cu

regimuri mari de nlime:

'08
275

'08

zeppelin 15 2009

SAR /search-and-rescue/

studioBASAR

mai multe chei de lectur

pentru nelegerea spaiului
alambicat, dar normal pentru
noi, de Bucureti

280

280

281

14

15

Several kinds of readings for understanding a sophisticated

65

'09

'09

281

space, normal to use, in Bucharest

despre metafora bazarului

oriental, cu o fantom i
un pom cu vrbii

Topographic urban and architecture projects: Calls House and

Provasa Offices in San Cugat, both in Barcelona

logica procesului constructiv,

93

11

Questioning our clichs over a spherical

universe, starting from a critique of the
very supercial way in which the theories of complexity are interpreted in
modern architecture (blob-architecture, promoted by Greg Lynn in mid90s, for instance, sees the non-Euclidian exclusively through a spherical
area (blob), forgetting the hyperbolic and
depending exclusively on a software
able to generate shapes)

zeppelin 14 2009

'08

Urban landscape as project birth

proiecte urbane i arhitectur topograc: Casa Calls i

Birourile Provasa n San Cugat,
ambele n Barcelona

92

'09

On the non Euclidian geometry as a means of locomotion to the

21

20

11

future of architecture and design

Ce am neles imediat despre Tokyo este c e un ora profund uman, cu toate

c de multe ori arat ca n Rzboiul Stelelor. De vin sunt probabil i cei 5 600
de oameni de pe 1 km ptrat. Pentru a nelege arhitectura aici, este esenial
s ii cont de densitatea urban incredibil i de ideea obsesiv de fragilitate
n faa unei catastrofe. Pentru c oraul Tokyo a fost anulat de dou ori numai
n ultimul secol, o dat n cutremurul din 1923 cnd a rmas pe drumuri
din populaie, i n primvara anului 1945, bombardat de americani. Atunci
imaginai-v un ora n ntregime nou, construit dup '45, la nceput ieftin i
repede, cu mijloace limitate, care au avut puin de-a face cu raiuni estetice.
Astfel, valul de arhitectur de slab calitate aprut imediat dup rzboi este
considerat cel de-al doilea dezastru fcut de mna omului n secolul XX.
i aici m-am gndit c noi acum ar trebui s m foarte ateni, s nu pim
asta n Bucureti. Au urmat apoi excesele din bubble years, anii '80 cu

d
kyo
Ran t To
ou
ab

219

Awarded works, exhibited in prestigious international fairs

lucrri premiate i expuse

D ei m ateptam i aveam de mult o fantasm a metropolei japoneze, am avut

un oc cultural la Tokyo.

a
tev
C atoriiokyo
ale pre Ts
s
de om fact

64

218

11

19

ri

n trguri prestigioase
internaionale

A bizarre concept connecting sensual shapes with rococo math

C hestionarea prejudecilor noastre

asupra universului sferic, pornind
de la o critic a modului foarte
supercial n care teoriile complexitii sunt interpretate n arhitectura contemporan (blob-architecture, promovat de Greg Lynn
la mijlocul anilor '90, de exemplu, clasic noneuclidianul exclusiv prin spaiul sferic (blob) uitnd
hiperbolicul i depinde exclusiv de
un software generator de forme)

ru
luc

Extreme exilibility may generate a psychological discomfort for the constant

transformation of the living space; the
system is rather suitable for singles, couples with no children or single parents

despre geometria neeuclidian

ca mijloc de locomoie spre viitorul arhitecturii i designului

Cosmina & Constantin

Goagea

18

F lexibilitatea extrem poate genera

un inconfort psihologic fa de
transformarea continu a spaiului de via; sistemul este potrivit mai mult persoanelor singure,
cuplurilor fr copii sau familiilor
monoparentale

218

13

12

Elastic_LIVINGUNIT is a design compound

generating space in various ways, and
varying the used surface from 46 m to
190 m

un concept ciudat care pune cap

la cap forme senzuale cu matematici rococo

zeppelin 11 2009: Radu Coma

222
Hiperbolism / Hyperbolism
226
Modelarea concret noneuclidian / Non-Euclidian real shaping
232
Pseudosfera / Pseudosphere
238
Conul hiperbolic / Hyperbolic cone
zeppelin 14 2009: Dorin tefan DSBA
252
Cosmopolit radical / Radical cosmopolitanism
256
mpachetare / Packing
270
Grefa urban / Urban grafting
zeppelin 15 2009: studioBASAR
284
Post-situaionism / Post-situationism
290 Improvizaie memorabil / A memorable improvisation
296
Condensare social / Social condensation
zeppelin 16 2009: Adriana Mereu
312
Radicalism artistic / Artistic radicalism
316
Critica prin arhitectur / Criticism through architecture
320
Poverism / Pauperism
zeppelin 18 2009: Michael Obrist / Magic Blocks
334
Interaciune public / Public interaction
338
Intervenie n zon istoric / Action-space in the historic area
350
Intervenie pe autostrad / Action-space on the motorway

zeppelin 03 2008

12

E lastic_LIVINGUNIT este un ansamblu de design care genereaz spaiu

n diferite ipostaze, variind suprafaa util de la 46 m la 190 m

04

'08
295

294

15

'09

F aadele exprim onest principiul planului liber; prelungirea planeelor n afara planurilor
vitrate rspunde condiiilor climatice, oferind protecia necesar fa
de nsorire
The facades honestly expresses the free
plan; the extension of the ceiling outside the glazed planes meet the climate
requirements offering the necessary protection against sunshine

105

104

05

'08

zeppelin 16 2009

3x25'

Adriana Mereu

Andrei erbescu /ADN/, Cosmin

Pavel /Abruptarhitectura/ &
Adriana Mereu

308

104

308

105

Selectat de noi din grupul celor trei birouri tinere de arhitectur invitate cu aceast ocazie,
Adriana Mereu este autoarea amenajrii centrului Pavilion Unicredit din Bucureti.
Selected by us from the three young architectural studios invited with this occasion, Adriana Mereu is the
author of Unicredit Pavilion design.

106

NU

CLE

107

tu
en
rim iv
pe ct
Ex stru
e
n
co ical ructiv
st
rad con
ical ent
Rad im
per
ex

128

E xplorarea arhitecturii pornind de la

structur i de la regndirea actului constructiv de baz (asamblare
i montaj concret); respingerea
problemelor formale disjuncte fa
de construcie
Exploiting architecture starting from
structure and rethinking of the basic
constructive gesture (actual assemblage
and tting); rejection of disjunctive formal issues connected to the building
itself

R ezolvri tehnice + sisteme noi pentru forme convenionale n locul

generrii simpliste de forme noi
prin tehnici convenionale; respingerea folosirii necritice a sistemelor i tehnicilor disponibile
Technical solutions + new systems for
conventional forms instead of simpleton generations of new forms by way of
conventional techniques; rejection of
uncritical use of available systems and
techniques

05

309

16

poveti despre arhitectur de

calitate, ca s uitm de megaprograme, megabirouri i
megacomplexe de inferioritate

'08
325

'09

309

16

'09

C ontinuarea reformei profunde

a discursului arhitectural, lansat odat cu modernismul, care
privete cldirile din punctul de
vedere al capacitii industriei
materialelor de construcii
Continuity of thorough reform of architectural discourse as it had been opened
by modernism that considered buildings
from the industrial capacity or building materials

129

05

'08
334

NU

CLE

ne
ciu
era
Int lic ction
b
pu intera
c
bli

Pu

335

M ichael Obrist face parte din colectivul internaional FELD 72 care

abordeaz proiectarea prin experimente punctuale, focalizate pe
situaii sociale specice
Michael Obrist belongs to an international team, the FELD 72 that approaches
design through specic experiments
focused on specic social situations

F ELD 72 pornete de la strategii pentru contexte urbane, cutnd locuri

dicile, experimenteaz prin instalaii la jumtatea distanei dintre
arhitectur i instalaie artistic,
sau prin proiecte alternative, pentru a ajunge la soluii arhitecturale
neobinuite, dar foarte amuzante
FELD 72 assumes strategies for urban
contexts, looking for difficult places; it
also experiments installations halfway
between architecture and artistic installation, or alternative projects to come to
unusual architectural solutions, sometimes very funny

18

P roiectele sunt legate n mod special de spaiul public i de un mod

de a gsi alternative inteligente cu
bugete minimale
The projects have a particular relationship with the public space and seek
intelligent alternatives on minimal
budgets

'09

Transparent City on limits and dwelling in Bucharest

2009

Book

A personal reading of the dwelling culture in Bucharest during the liberal moderni
zation. Overlapping, limits becoming places, depth and stratification as elements
of a specific urban culture. Thus, chaotic growth can be seen as a superposition of
unfinished projects, larger village as a transparent city, and the recent develop
ments are marked by the public space dislocations and private places opacity.

edited: Zeppelin & IonMincu University

Publishing House, Bucharest
suPPOrted by: Administration of National
Cultural Heritage
authOr: tefan Ghenciulescu
ISBN9789731884196

qo Un sistem complex de lrgiri ale spaiului public, curi deschise ctre strad, retrageri
i spaii intermediare.
qo
A complex system of local widening of the boulevard, yards open to the street, retreats
and intermediary spaces.

INTRODUCERE

INTRODUCTION

Aceast lucrare nu este nc una dintre evocrile

nostalgice ale unui Bucureti pierdut. ns pornete
de la pasiunea pentru un ora foarte particular, n
care m-am nscut i pe care tot ncerc s l neleg.
Nu sunt sigur c am reuit, indc acest ora, n
general insuportabil i pe alocuri (nc) fermector,
are aceast calitate de a-i scpa permanent printre degete.
Puine orae i permit ca, pe spaiul unei singure strzi din centru, s treci de la intensitate
metropolitan la impresia de cartier tihnit sau
chiar sat i s traversezi vreo cinci stiluri i epoci de
construcii diferite. n cte centre vechi ale oraelor
mai trebuie s ntri n majoritatea cldirilor (unele
de zece etaje) tot deschiznd o poart de curte?
De unde vine de fapt aceast imagine? E doar
reminescena unei urbaniti impure, sau este
totui o expresie a unui alt fel de cultur urban?

This book is not one among many nostalgic evocations of a lost Bucharest. Of course, it has started
from my passion for a very special city. Its the one
of my birth but Im not sure I really understand it.
Bucharest seems ungraspable: such an unbearable city, yet hiding so many strangely charming
places.
There are but few cities where, on the same street
you can meet with metropolitan intensity and,
next to it, you nd yourself in a peaceful or even
village-like neighborhood. Walking a few steps,
one nds buildings of about ve dierent styles
and ages. In how many city centers can you access most buildings (even ten-story high ones) by
opening a gate to a courtyard? I have always been
wondering where this image comes from. Is it only
the leftover of some impure urbanity or the expression of an altogether dierent urban culture?

Am pornit de la aprecierile i clieele obinuite

oraul verde, ngrmdirea de sate, satul mai mare,
oraul contrastelor i altele de acelai gen pentru
a vedea ce se ascunde de fapt n spatele lor. Am ncercat s construiesc o metod mai riguroas de a
deni prin ce e Bucuretiul altfel (mcar n parte) i
nite caliti eseniale ce ar merita pstrate i continuate. Studiul se bazeaz pe intuiii exprimate
pentru prima oar n timpul studeniei, dezvoltate
n cadrul doctoratului la Universitatea Ion Mincu
i n mai multe articole i proiecte de cercetare. ntre timp, lecturii oraului i s-a grefat i propunerea
unei metode de cercetare, avnd ca elemente centrale limitele i transparena. De la cercetarea formei oraului am ajuns la o interogaie asupra unei
culturi a locuirii. Poate c aceast metod, care
pornete de la form pentru a descrie apoi i societatea va putea servi i altor obiecte de cercetare
dect Bucuretiul.

I started my research from the usual clichs: the

green city, the loose assembly of villages, the bigger village, a city of contrasts and the like and
tried to nd what lies beyond them. Thus, I tried to
make up a more precise method, able to help me
dene what makes Bucharest dierent (partially
at least) and some essential qualities that deserve
to be kept. My study comes from some insights I
rst had during my studenthood and developed
in my doctoral thesis at Ion Mincu University and
in several articles and research projects. The search
for an instrument to describe this city developed
into proposing a research method based on the
concepts of limits and transparency. In the end,
the aim of the research became to describe not
only the shape of the city, but a culture of dwelling.
Maybe this method, starting from urban form to
talk about society itself could help some research
objects, others than Bucharest.

90

91

Spaiul interior propriu-zis. The interior space

Spaii intermediare n cadrul cldirii. Intermediary spaces within the building
Transparena rezultat din aezarea pe parcel. Transparency resulting from the placement of the building on the plot.
Diferenieri ale spaiului public. Dierences within public space

qt Castelaul de la nr. 34 o compoziie delirant al teraselor,

ms San Gimignano. Un exemplu

mt Bucureti, mijlocul secolului al XIX-lea.

ideal de ora medieval mic: aezarea

Cultura urban balcanic i mai ales absena

autonom, compact, clar decupat

fortificaiilor sunt principalele motive pentru

de teritoriul nconjurtor.

amestecul deconcertant de urban i rural.

ms
San Gimignano as the

mt
Bucharest at the middle of the 19th century.

bovindourilor, loggilor care individualizeaz apartamentele i

adncete limitele ntre acestea i exterior.
qt
The castle at nr. 34 a delirious composition of terraces,
bow-windows, loggias a.s.o., that individualize the apartments

ideal small medieval town: an

The Balkan urban culture and especially the

autonomous, compact settlement,

absence of town walls are the main reasons

clearly cut out from the surrounding

for the quite disconcerting mix-up of urban

territory.

and rural areas.

and deepens the limits between the exterior and the interior.
qs Blocul cubist de la numrul 21
o reinterpretare a casei-vagon.
qs
The Cubist apartment building

26

calitatea de ora unei aezri tradiionale, ele

devenind aproape la fel de importante ca i
autonomia politic i juridic1.
Importana forticaiilor pentru securitate, dar
i ca simbol al unui decupaj social i politic
a determinat un model de cretere pe care l
regsim permanent n Evul Mediu i n unele
cazuri (cum ar cel al oraelor elveiene), pn
departe n secolele al XVIII-lea i al XIX-lea: o
cretere intensiv, cu construcii din ce n ce
mai dense n interiorul forticaiilor, apariia
unor construcii i apoi a unor cartiere n afara
acestora, urmat de construirea unei noi centuri
(eventual nglobnd i foste aezri distincte), o

The importance of fortications for security and as

symbol of a social and political cutout triggered
a growth model easily identiable in the Middle
Ages and, in some cases (the Swiss cities) well into
the 18th and 19th centuries; it showed an intensive
growth, denser buildings inside the fortications,
the emergence of new constructions and residential areas beyond them, new belts (possibly comprising the former settlements), a new intra muros
densication and the whole process was repeated
once more. That is also the case of some towns in
Transylvania (Sibiu, is a telling example), that fol-

1 Max Weber, Die Stadt. Max Weber Gesamtausgabe. Abt.

I Schriften und Reden: Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Band
22/5: Die Wirtschaft und die gesellschaftlichen Ordnungen
und Mchte. Nachlass. Teilband 5 (Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck
Verlag, 1999).

1 Max Weber, Die Stadt. Max Weber Gesamtausgabe. Abt.

I Schriften und Reden: Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Band
22/5: Die Wirtschaft und die gesellschaftlichen Ordnungen
und Mchte. Nachlass. Teilband 5 (Tbingen: Mohr Siebeck
Verlag, 1999).

8. BULEVARDUL
MAGHERU:
MODERNISM,
SUPERDENSITATE
I NEGOCIEREA
TRANSPARENEI

84

settlement be a real town, being as important as

the political and judicial self-government.1

Poriunea selectat aici pentru analiz este cea

dintre strzile Arthur Verona i C.A. Rosetti. ntreg
bulevardul (astzi Gheorghe Magheru Nicoale
Blcescu, nainte de rzboi Ion Brtianu Take Ionescu) face parte din marele proiect modern de
strpungere a celor dou axe cardinale. Practic
este vorba despre o ax complet nou, realizat
aproape integral n anii 30, epoc a unei dezvoltri
urbane fr precedent i a unui entuziasm generalizat pentru modernitate. ntr-o manier similar
cu cea parizian, noua ax genereaz construcii
aliniate la ea, ns care ocup parcelarul vechi (uneori comasat) i se articuleaz cu parcelele vecine i
cu celelalte strzi.
Nu gsim nici un element stilistic sau tipologic tradiional romnesc aici: axul aparine
marii tradiii franceze a secolului al XIX-lea, planurile urmresc de obicei tipologii moderni-

27

102

85

110

103

at nr. 21 a reinterpretation of the

thoroughfare-room house

8. MAGHERU BOULEVARD: MODERNISM,

OVERDENSITY AND NEGOTIATION
OF TRANSPARENCY
I have chosen to analyze the part between Arthur
Verona and C.A. Rosetti Streets. The whole boulevard
(Gheorghe Magheru Nicolae Balcescu, Ion Bratianu
Take Ionescu before the war) belongs in the big
modern project meant to cut the two cardinal axes.
In fact, this axis was a totally new one, mostly built
in the 1930s, an unparalleled development period
marked by an almost unanimous commitment to
modernity. As much as the Parisian one, the new axis
generated aligned buildings, yet standing on the old
parcels (joined sometimes), and articulated with the
neighboring plot structure and streets.
Here, we cannot nd a single stylistic or typological element belonging to the Romanian tradition:
qm Fotografie de epoc.
qm
Period photograph.

net publicul de privat. Pe de alt parte, n cele trei

studii de caz din Bucureti, nu avem de-a face cu
aceleai grupuri sociale. Locuitorii bulevardului
Magheru o burghezie foarte urban erau diferii
de mica burghezie de pe strada Popa Nan, cu un
mod de via mai patriarhal, deci cu o alt relaie
cu oraul. Astzi, compoziia social din aceste
locuri este complet diferit. De asemenea, la scara
general a oraului, trebuie difereniat aciunea
autoritilor asupra spaiului care determin direct
forma cldirilor sau a spaiilor publice sau, prin
regulamente, anumite aspecte ale construciilor
private de locuirea n sine.
O analiz care ar lua n considerare toate aceste
determinri mi pare imposibil, altfel dect n
mari echipe pluridisciplinare. n aceste condiii, nu
pot dect s ncerc s dau cteva direcii de abordare i ipoteze. Ele ar trebui vericate, inclusiv prin

ro Vila (Radu Teac, Artline 2008)

cercetri asupra acelorai spaii, ns cu instrumentele tiinelor umane.

rp Sediul Uniunii Arhitecilor din Romnia i spaii pentru birouri

(Dan Marin, Zeno Bogdnescu, 2003 - 04).

ro
Villa (Radu Teac, Artline 2008)

quite dierent. Likewise, one should see distinguish between the authorities operating at the
bigger city scale and directly imposing the building or public space shapes by regulations from
the dwelling itself.
I think that we need multi-disciplinary teams to
deal with all such relations. Therefore, I am only
trying to nd some approaches here and offer some hypotheses. However, they have to be
checked, by research studies on the same spaces,
with instruments specic to humanities.

n primul rnd, a discuta o concluzie care, la prima

vedere, pare pertinent: spaiul public slab al
Bucuretiului ar cel care a determinat o aezare
a nenumrate ltre, ca tot attea locuri protejate
unde te poi arta i ntlni locuri de care o
cultur urban puternic ar avea mai puin nevoie.
ns aceast logic este contrazis de dezvoltarea
istoric. Am observat mai sus o cretere i o transformare a transparenei ce a acompaniat tocmai o
urbanizare progresiv. n schimb, situaia de dup
1989, n care spaiul public se dezagreg progresiv,
nu a generat ltre suplimentare, ci, dimpotriv, o
nchidere din ce n ce mai pronunat. Cred c se
poate accepta transparena mai degrab drept un
mod de a realiza o deschidere mediat ntre public
i privat, o tendin niciodat exprimat explicit de

rp
Headquarters of the Union of Romanian Architects and office
spaces (Dan Marin, Zeno Bogdnescu, 2003-04).

First of all, I would like to linger a little on an apparently relevant conclusion it may seen it is Bucharests weak public space that led to the several
lters as protected areas where you might expose
yourself and meet, places that a powerful urban
culture would not need any longer. But this logic
is contradicted by historical development. I have
already pointed to the growth and change of
transparency that went along with the progressive
urbanization. On the other hand, after 1989, when
public space is progressively deteriorating, we can
see no additional lters; quite the contrary, dwelling

111

Small ideas for a big city

2008

Exhibition/ conference/ 17.1015.11.2008, Museum of Romanian Peasant, Aquarium hall

The exhibition promoted 16 alternative projects to improve public spaces in

Bucharest. Small ideas, costwise, which could truly improve the quality of life for
communities and certain urban situations. Designed by the members of the organi
zation and by young invited architects, the proposals submitted to authorities and
the wide audience addressed various places, from abandoned sites to the great
housing neighbourhoods, and spaces in the heart of the historical centre. The key
requirement was the denial of the utopia and the invention of solutions with a very
low budget, which could soon applied and turn into modelinterventions: no wast,
excessive demolitions and grand constructions, but with a well defined target, we
can make the life in our cities bearable. Part of those projects went, meanwhile,
into more advanced stages. The project aimed to support a slow administration,
promote professionals, theoretical models and fast working strategies.

bienala de arhitectur bucureti

> Irina Bncescu & Olivia

Nicolescu
> Bogdan & Van Broeck
Architects (Oana
Bogdan, Leo Van Broeck,

Iat o demonstraie c se poate face ceva cnd vorbim de spaiul

public, de blocurile comuniste, de strzi ticsite de maini, de monumente sau de grdini, de tot ce ne doare pe noi cel mai tare. Am
lansat acest titlu i am primit 16 proiecte care se pot realiza cu bani
puini i logistic insignifiant: unele sunt proiecte de design urban,
altele efort de recuperare, un mic recycle al locului, iar altele propun o
curenie deteapt. Noi suntem gata de treab.

Aron Sumeghy)

i probabil v ntrebai ce-i cu cioara

Cioara e n expoziie fiindc nou ne place adaptarea ei de la cmpul
cu grune la forfota din ora. E un martor simpatic al tranziiei de la
viaa de sat la cea urban. Ea e o parte din fauna slbatic adaptat
acestei convieuiri. i mai sunt i altele, dar e doar un afi nu trebuie s
scriem tot.

> Radu Coma

Un proiect inventat de revista Arhitectura

> Atelier Mihai Duescu

17 octombrie 15 noiembrie

Sofie Liesenborghs, Joris

Moonen, Philip Stessens,

www.bab.ro

Muzeul ranului Romn sala Acvariu

> ISD STUDIO

(tefan Davidovici
& Irina uteu)
> Horia Marinescu
> Vladimir Obradovici
> Planwerk Cluj
> Point4 & Arhitectura
(Justin Baroncea,
Radu Enescu, tefan
Ghenciulescu,
Constantin Goagea, Jean
Craiu, Carmen Popescu,
Ada Demetriu)
> Synthesis Architecture
(Panteli Mourgka)
> tefan Tuchil

REVISTA
UNIUNII
ARHITECTILOR
DIN ROMANIA

organizatori

NR. 52
FEB 2007
8 RON

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Organizers: Zeppelin team

suPPOrted by: Museum of Romanian
Peasant, Administration of National
CulturalHeritage
Partner: Cembrit
main sPOnsOrs: Final Distribution, Velux,
National Investments Commission
sPOnsOrs: Rheinzink, Apla, Alukonigstahl,
Kludi, Steelcase Romania, Energobit Schreder,
Bramac, Rigips, Bicau, Romstal, Crtureti

35 cities, lots of pixels, some coffee

2008

Exhibition of contemporary architecture photography/ Photos by Cosmin Caciuc & tefan Tuchil;
curator: Constantin Goagea, 17.1015.11 2008, Bucharest Art Galleries

A journey in the history of contemporary architecture, talking about the condi

tion of the modern architect in his function as a tourist/world observer, with an
attempt of a look less interested by the seduction of surfaces and more focused
to decoding the hidden sides of places and objects. A photographic vision about
developed architectural realities and, at the same time, the story of some archi
tects in search for a coherent vision on the real.

Organizer: Zeppelin team

suPPOrted by: Museum of the City of
Bucharest
Partner: Cembrit
main sPOnsOrs: Gerard, Velux, National
Investment Commission
sPOnsOrs: Rheinzink, Apla, Alukonigstahl,
Kludi, Steelcase, Energobit, Bramac, Rigips,
Bicau, Romstal, Crtureti

bienala de arhitectur bucureti

TEFAN TUCHIL & COSMIN CACIUC

EXPOZIIE DE FOTOGRAFIE DE ARHITECTUR CONTEMPORAN

Galeriile de Art ale Municipiului Bucureti (Galeria Nou) strada Academiei nr.15
17 octombrie 15 noiembrie 2008 www.bab.ro

Unul n Europa, cellalt n America: planul de cltorie, descrcatul fiierelor, biletele, ateptatul autobuzului, de ncrcat bateria, de verificat spaiul liber pe disc, cum e vremea, cum e lumina, o cafea, ultimele
reglaje, clack. Poate c toat lumea face azi la fel, iar acum v uitai la locurile la care s-au uitat i ei i
le-au fotografiat, le tiai deja, sunt locurile pe care alii le-au creat din alte imagini, din alte citate, din alte
cltorii. Iar cei doi fotografi caut un fel de-a lua un ora nou n posesie, un fel aparte de a-l jalona cu
arhitectur contemporan sau de a-l memora.
Suntei parte dintr-un tablou, care e parte din alt tablou mai mare, voi, cltoriile voastre, numai c nu
sunt oglinzi paralele care ne dau mereu aceeai imagine, ci o lume coluroas, inexact, n schimb bogat.

REVISTA
UNIUNII
ARHITECTILOR
DIN ROMANIA

organizatori

Este o expoziie despre un fel de arhiturism, care nu e doar pamplezir, e cutare, descoperire,
cunoatere, index de arhitectur contemporan, poveste personal.
Aceast expoziie e o viziune fotografic despre realiti arhitecturale evoluate i n acelai timp
povestea unor arhiteci n cutarea unei viziuni consistente asupra realului. Bienala de Arhitectur
Bucureti 2008 v trimite ntr-o excursie in istoria arhitecturii contemporane, povestind despre
condiia arhitectului modern n calitatea lui de turist / observator al lumii, ncercnd o privire mai
puin interesat de seducia suprafeelor i mai mult aplecat spre descifrarea aspectelor ascunse
ale locurilor i obiectelor.
curator Constantin Goagea

NR. 52
FEB 2007
8 RON

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nu/ Romanian public space

2008

Photo installation/ Author: tefan Tuchil, 17.1015.11.2008, Museum of Romanian Peasant, Foyer

The project outlined, through the photo installation proposed by tefan Tuchil,
in a deliberately challenging, almost polemic, action the current Romanian urban
background to its basics: the conflict between the city and those who populate it.
110 photos taken in Bucharest to extract the most common word on its streets, an
echo of constant hostility relationships and an ongoing aggressiveness.

Organizers: Zeppelin team

suPPOrted by: Museum of the Romanian
Peasant, Administration of the National
Cultural Heritage
Partner: Cembrit

www.archiphotos.com/nu

main sPOnsOrs: Final Distribution, Velux,

National Investments Commission
sPOnsOrs: Rheinzink, Apla, Alukonigstahl,
Kludi, Steelcase, Energobit, Bramac, Rigips,
Bicau, Romstal, Crtureti

Hyperlocked

2008

Installation/ Author: Radu Coma, 17.1115.11.2008, Museum of Romanian Peasant, Bucharest

The Hyperlocked installation was designed to function as a support to introduce

the Hiperbolism in circulation, which could define an architectural trend at the
end of the 20th century and featuring an exhaustive use of succession of spherical
and hyperbolical surfaces. Following a prolonged modernism and decorative and
historicist postmodern exaggerations, the purely geometrical, NeoEuclidian,
reaction, seems to have smoothened its path for success with the audience and
the critics, though the stakes are only visual, with no inherent functionality. The
succession of spherical and hyperbolical surfaces on an architectural volume is
exclusively the result of digital modelling, such designs have no organic connota
tion, de names of biomorphism or new organic trend being, therefore, inap
propriate. The installation presented as a first premiere the material prototype of
interwoven hyperbolic fabrics, in which the asymptotic lines of the inner fabric are
determined by the positioning in the discreet network of the exterior one. Such
an image has not been created, as a threedimension, before, being possible only
virtually, on the screen of a monitor.

Organizers: Zeppelin team

suPPOrted by: Museum of Romanian
Peasant, Administration of National Cultural
Heritage
Partner: Cembrit
main sPOnsOrs: Final Distribution, Velux,
National Investments Commission
sPOnsOrs: Rheinzink, Apla, Alukonigstahl,
Kludi, Steelcase, Energobit, Bramac, Rigips,
Bicau, Romstal, Crtureti

Avantgarde and continuity

2008

Itinerant exhibition in Romania and conference on Croatian contemporary architecture/

17.1015.11.2008, Museum of Romanian Peasant

The explosion of good quality architecture is the result not only of the local
circumstances, but also of a certain historical continuity. The exhibition focused
on the most productive eras in the modern and contemporary history, presenting
a selection of exemplary works. The first matches the 30s, after winning the
independence. The architecture of the 50s and the 60s reflect the special case of
Yugoslavia in the socialist block. The lack of Stalinism and the determined opening
to the West, especially for the republics in the West of the federation, welcome
a modern architecture able to meet the Dalmatic background, and generally the
Mediterranean one. The new trends after the Balkan wars reflect the reintegration
in the European cultural space and the social changes and, simultaneously, the
searches for a critical regionalism.

Organizers: Zeppelin Association for the

Romanian edition of the project, a Wiener
Stdtische Versicherung AG Vienna
Insurance Group and Arhiteckst Zagreb
coproduction; commissioners: Adolph Stiller,
Vera Grimmer, Tadej Glaar, Maroje Mrdulja,
Andrija Rusan
suPPOrted by: Museum of the Romanian
Peasant, Administration of National
CulturalHeritage
Partner: Cembrit
main sPOnsOrs: Final Distribution, Velux,
National Investments Commission
sPOnsOrs: Rheinzink, Apla, Alukonigstahl,
Kludi, Steelcase, Energobit, Bramac, Rigips,
Bicau, Romstal, Crtureti

FFF08

2008

Itinerant exhibition in Romania/ 17.1015.11.2008, Museum of Romanian Peasants

The exhibition aimed at new ideas and concepts in the works of 39 authors form
the new generation of Hungarian architects (2040 years). The presented selec
tion followed a national competition, one of the most important criteria being that
to approaching environmental issues, the way in which projects adapt to the place
they relate to, their relevance for that site, the way in which they express and
convey innovative ideas.

exhibitiOn Carried Out by: Organization of

Hungarian Architects; curators: Reischl Gbor,
Csontos Gyrgyi, Plczi Tibor
Organizers at buCharest: Zeppelin team
suPPOrted by: Museum of the Romanian
Peasant, Administration of the National
Cultural Heritage
Partner: Cembrit
main sPOnsOrs: Final Distribution, Velux,
Comisia Naional pentru Investiii
sPOnsOrs: Rheinzink, Apla, Alukonigstahl,
Kludi, Steelcase, Energobit, Bramac, Rigips,
Bicau, Romstal, Crtureti

Rudolf Frnkels urban architecture

2008

Monographic exhibition/ 29.1030.11.2008, MNAC galeria , Bucharest National Theatre

The exhibition aimed to make known the works of an exceptional architect, but
Organizers: bfstudioArchitekten in Berlin
and Goethe Institute at Bucharest with
far too little known. Rudolf Frnkel was born and worked early in Germany. In
Zeppelin team
1933, following the Nazi, he emigrated and settled in Bucharest, from where
he emigrated again to England in 1937. After the war, he finally settled in the
United States. The exhibition had three sections: the first, dedicated to Frnkels
works in general, with parallels between his activity in Germany and that in
Romania. The main section covered the most important work in Berlin, the Atlantic
gardenquarter, as well as its restoration by bfstudioArchitekten office a model
of urban revitalization and resurrection of a metropolitan spirit. A vital model for a
city such as Bucharest, whose exceptional modernist heritage, fully ignored by the
society and cultural elites, is to be irreparably damaged. The third illustrated the
progress of Frnkels works in the last 70 years. The photographic reading of Iosif
Kiralyi goes beyond the documentary aim, reforming the greatness and the decline
of the modernist dream in Bucharest.

Jukebox City

2007

Exhibition/ 18.1018.11.2007, metroom Gallery, Barcelona

An exhibition of Bucharest architecture presented in Barcelona. Apparently, our

capital is a colage of fragments, a place of colission of architectures and identities;
actually, an incredible laboratory of modernity. There is no stand of the trends of
the last two centuries which could not be identified there, where a Balcan original
background coabitates, an original interpretation of metropolitan models of the
19th century, an European heritage of interwar modern architecture, the grateast
totalitarian operation in Europe and, finally, a frenetic and fragmented develop
ment following the collapse of dictatorship. The Jukebox City title takes over the
metaphor of a jukebox hits from various times apparently in disorder, but with
themes and genres structuring discreetly the general collection. The exhibition,
organized in 5 sections, was designed as a system of objects and installations set
up freely in various spacs, the visitor being stimulated to discover and interact
with the city and the works of architecture. For instance, in the first section the
Layers of the City the movement of a toy car along the plan moved a projection
on the wall a colage of pictures on the real route: a digital walk on a route where
old churches, buildings of a fin de siecle, interwar modernism or the 60s and
gigantic ceausist interventions mix together.

Organizers: Zeppelin team, Scalae ED,

Met.Room Foundation
Partner: Order of Romanian Architects
PrOjeCt funded by: Ministry of Cultures and
Cults in Romania

Remix!

2007

Exhibition in Basel and Bucharest

The interactive project representing Romania at the 10th edition of the Venice
Biennale in 2006, where it had 50,000 visitors and 3,500 active participants,
was presented in 2007 to the Basel audience (in November, at the Swiss Museum
of Architecture, under a great festival dedicated to Romania, Culturescapes) and
in Bucharest (June 2007, Dalles Hall). Basically, a model of a sociological, urban
planning and architecture study designed as a game, meant to shape active partici
pation, the decision in the development trends, a call for reactions, opinions and
solutions, presenting the issue of cohabitation, the confrontation of ideas, sorting
out wishes and personal visions about the city and urbanity. Which talks about the
good and the social interest.
http://old.culturescapes.ch/en/2007/programbasel/exihibitions/

Organizers: Zeppelin team

buCureti
Partenrs: Carpatcement, Velux, Robstone,
Association of National Cultural Heritage
sPOnsOr: Mons Medius
suPPOrted by: National Art Museum of
Romania
basel
Partenrs: Culturscapes Festival, Romanian
Cultural Institute

Remix!

2006

Romanian Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2006

Starting from the fragmentary character of the Romanian reality, the exhibition
presented nine basic types: energies and potentials, public space, housing models
(dream house), social segregation (gentrification as opposed to extreme poverty),
environmental issues, monuments and heritage, the city, the village and, finally,
the planning. Alternative approaches were also presented democratic urban
planning, responsible architecture, social projects which try to balance global
trends. The types, turned into symbolic questions, were then marked of large
cubes: two sides had a question; the other 4 were reply alternatives. The player
placed each cube on a platform, with the side having the preferred answer up.
Each side included a hidden identification card, read by an electronic device which
sent it to a computer. This analyzed the replies and displayed them on a screen,
followed by a real image from Romania, representative for that choice. The player
discovered that way what type of development was selected, how modern or
conservative, liberal or environmentalfriendly, individualist or communitybased
will be the Romania he/she remixed. Finally, the whole set of that individual games
built the image of a common project and showed the main areas of misbalance,
mostly needing negotiation and community commitment.

COauthOrs: Constantin Goagea

(deputycommissioner), Cosmina Goagea,
tefanGhenciulescu, Justin Baroncea, Ana
Bleahu, Carmen Popescu (member in the
design team for the competition)
COmmissiOner: Marius MarcuLapadat
Organizer: Union of Romanian Architects
COOrganizers: Ministry of Culture and
Cults in Romania, Romanian Cultural Institute
sPOnsOr: Carpatcement

Remix. Fragments of a country

2006

Book

The Catalogue for Romanian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale; the first
multidisciplinary analysis (architectural and urban, sociological, anthropological
and environmental) of Romanian territory developments after 1989.

edited by: Q Group Proiect

editOrs: Constantin Goagea,
CosminaGoagea, tefan Ghenciulescu,
JustinBaroncea, AnaBleahu
ISBN10 973045372ISBN13
9789730045376

Continuity vs. Mutation

2006

Exhibition of Japanese contemporary architecture/ 8.11.20068.01.2007, National Museum of

Contemporary Art

The exhibition presented a particular way of relating to tradition, reflected by the

current Japanese architecture. The continuity is not about the perpetuation of a
Japanese style, but one could notice that Japanese architects are rather inclined
to look for ideas, concepts, background at the bottom of traditional architecture,
rather than typologies or models. Certain common categories were defined for
participants, highlighting 3 selection types:
1. Firstclass architecture, with a selection mainly relying on the complexity
of programmes and the development of the public space: Jun Aoki, Tetsuo
Furuichi, Waro Kishi, Kazuhiro Kojima, Kengo Kuma, Hiroshi Naito, Sanaa and
TairaNishizawa.
2. A second selection is rather focused on the housing, the small functions and
the search for alternatives: Ryuichi Ashizawa, Sou Fujimoto, Masahiro & Mao
Harada, Jun Igarashi, Kumiko Inui, Kazuyasu Kochi, Hironori Matsubara, Tetsuya
Nakazono, Makoto Tanijiri and Kuniaki Takahashi.
3. Engineering structures examples of mutations in the thinking of a construc
tion, changes of thinking, beyond scale and programme: Kenji Nawa and Jun Sato.
Speaking visually and aesthetically only, the modern and traditional architecture
seem completely separated, but the exhibition points out to the very way in which
the poetic of the Japanese architecture moves in a different time, in a different
cultural and technological paradigm, than that of the present.

Organizer: Zeppelin team

CuratOr: Yoshihide Kobabawa
main sPOnsOrs: Henkel Bautechnik, Dupont
Romania
sPOnsOrs: Knauf, Velux, Bramac,
MonsMedius, Delta Design, Hunter Douglas,
Steelcase Romania, Isover, Lafarge,
Xerox,Fakro
suPPOrted by: Bucharest Sector 1 City Hall,
Ministry of Culture and Cults, Administration
of National Cultural Heritage, National
Museum of Contemporary Art, National
Investments Company, Japan Embassy at
Bucharest, Japan Foundation, Stage Expert

Sensai

2006

Exhibition of Japanese contemporary architecture/ 8.11.200630.01.2007, National Museum of

Contemporary Art, Bucharest

Sensai, the word providing the title of the exhibition, a typical Japanese concept
which could be translated as beauty, delicacy, subtlety, sophistication. It means
human touch, delicate approach, craftsmanship and is, in a way, opposed to
technology and industrial elements. The perspective is focused on the object of
architecture as detailed, on the appropriate combination of materials, each one
selected for its effect, on the setting and the emotions. Total balance and total
appropriateness. A very simple and clean image, behind which sophisticated tech
niques hide, an immense care for the tiniest detail and, of course, a lot of plan
ning. The Sensai character consists of appropriate answers, balance and poetry,
the beauty of the empty space and the economy of language. About all those, and
the way in which an extremely modern and valuable architecture can be produced,
on the background of a discreet and summarized tradition was about the projects
of the 10 participating architects: Taro Ashihara, Yasushi Horibe, Kazuo Iwamura,
Chitoshi Kitara, Hiroshi Naito, Akira Sakamoto, Eizo Shiina, Yoshiji Takehara, Akira
Watanabe and Ken Yokogawa.

exhibitiOn PrOduCed by: Japan Institute

ofArchitects
Organizers in buCharest: Zeppelin team
main sPOnsOrs: Henkel Bautechnik, Dupont
Romania
sPOnsOrs: Knauf, Velux, Bramac,
MonsMedius, Delta Design, Hunter Douglas,
Steelcase Romania, Isover, Lafarge, Xerox,
Fakro
suPPOrted by: Bucharest Sector 1 City Hall,
Ministry of Culture and Cults, Administration
of National Cultural Heritage, National
Museum of Contemporary Art, National
Investments Company, Embassy of Japan in
Bucharest, Japan Foundation, Stage Expert

3j40

2005

Exhibition of contemporary Japanese architecture/ 16.067.07.2005, National Museum of

Contemporary Art

Three young architects under 40: Kumiko Inui one of the most talented prom
ising architects, Naoyuki Nagata outstanding in house design and Tomio
Mabuchi a very discreet architect so far, member of an entreprenorial team with
over 10,000 people. The key component in their way of approaching architecture
is that they all started with art and design. Also, they share a similar perspective
on architecture, both committed and relaxed. The 3j40 exhibition present their
experience over the last couple of years and the case of valuable urban interven
tions, produced as an alternative to what was built in a critical time in the history
of Japan. Given the EU accession status, Romanian cities undergo dramatic and
fast changes, similar to those suffered by the Japanese cities in between 1960
and 1980. The exhibition was also an invitation for architects, building inves
tors and other Romanain stakeholders, to become aware of the complex impact
of their actions on the long run and to take responsibility for any action carried
outinacity.

Organizer: Zeppelin team

COOrganizer: National Museum of
Contemporary Art
CuratOrs: Cosmina Goagea, Atsuro Osada
Cu sPrijinul: Japanese Embassy in Bucharest
Partner: Carpatcement

Expo Diego Ferrari

2005

Photography exhibition/ 116.09.2005, Mincu House Romanian Order of Architects

Its photos, apparently colages or easily digitally completed special effects, are
Organizer: Zeppelin team
made with a 35 mm singleuse camera, chap, easile changed, so that a a set of
Partners: Order of Architects in Romania,
images, usually three, can be mixed up. By disconnecting the automatic mecha
British Council
nism adjusting the diaphragm and the movement of the film, Ferrary controls
manually the exposure time and may connect between them the different perspec
tives, covering the already exposed film surface.
Diego Ferraris photos first explore the way in which invest the space, living in it.
From early devices to most recent photographs, he focused on the subtle changes
of meaning given by the change of light, the multiple perspectives focused in a
frame, the mix between visible interiors and the invisible ones, and the exagera
tion of details of architectural and human shapes. For him, the space is never a
neutral scene on which humans carry out their activities. He sees it rather as an
active force to change and which is changed by our actions.

Seek 02

2005

Screening of a film produced by Neutral (London)/ 1516.09.2005, Revolution Square

An experimental film about the contemporary city seen as a global entity, crea
Organizer: Zeppelin team
tion of the British group, Neutral. Images shot in two different cities, London and
Partneri: Order of Romanian Architects,
Bombay, are combined, mixed or superimposed, common places are explored,
British Council
placed in contradiction or highlighted, deliberately avoiding geographical sources
and outlining a weird experience of modern living. The film explores the subjec
tive perceptions of a global urbanity, plays with the imagination, expectations and
prejudices of the audience. The images of urban flows are combined in an elabo
rate choreography and a complex setting, using music as a driving force. The spon
taneous slow down of the flows increases the attention and selective perception of
urban elements. Neutral produces digital creations for the top names of contem
porary architecture: Zaha Hadid, Herzog de Meuron, David Chipperfield. The
screening too, place in the Revolution Square, part of the George EnescuFestival.

Catalan contemporary architecture

2004

Exhibition/ 16.1120.12.2004, Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urban Planning

The exhibition focused on Catalonia and its architectural stateoftheart architec

ture. We did not aim to have a division of style, since the trends and styles are least
applicable in the Iberic Peninsula. The selection went along three categories:
1. members of the international elite Carlos Ferrater, and the continuation of
classical modernity, as opposed to the unclassifiable poetics of Eric Miralles
2. young promising architects Manel Bailo, Rosa Rull, Jaime Coll, Judith
Leclerc, Eric Massip, Angels Negre & Felix Solaguren, Miguel Roldan, Merce
Berengue, Juan Trias de Bes noted for their successful integration of external
influences, the joy of experimenting, and the fertility of new themes environ
ment, urban explosion, new technologies, without the so trendy gratuities today
3. mixed teams of very young Romanian and Spanish architects: Elena Nedelcu
together with Lluis Gimenez Mateu and Justin Baroncea, together with Jordi
Perramon, Victor Centellas and Horaci Sanchez.

Organizers: Ion Mincu University of

Architecture and Urban Planning
main sPOnsOrs: Carpatcement, Graphisoft,
Delta Distribution
sPOnsOrs: Knauf, Titan Mar, Stage Expert,
Franke, Hewlett Packard, Wienerberger,
Cotnari, Crtureti, National Housing Agency,
National Investments Company, Ruuki

Aleix Bague

2004

Exhibition of architecture photography/ 17.1120.12.2004, Crtureti teashop

Aleix Bague is one of the major Spanish photographers of architecture. The exhibi
tion with original images was specially designed for the widest audience possible,
that is why this space was selected the teashop of Crtureti bookshop. Aleix
Bagues photos are the perfect way in which those outside the profession can be
attracted by architecture.

Organizers: Zeppelin team

main sPOnsOrs: Carpatcement, Graphisoft,
Delta Distribution
sPOnsOrs: Knauf, Titan Mar, Stage Expert,
Franke, Hewlett Packard, Wienerberger,
Cotnari, Crtureti, National Housing Agency,
National Investments Company, Ruuki