Local communities are more than just a collection of buildings and infrastructure. They possess a distinctive architectural character that mirrors their history, culture, and values. As part of our year in review, we take a deep dive into the top narratives that examine the architectural identity of different local communities.
These stories explore a wide range of topics, including unique geographic territories, cultural tribes, iconic landmarks, communal collaboration, and socio-ecological urban planning. Through these narratives, we uncover the captivating tales behind the buildings and public spaces that shape certain cities and towns.
Architectural competitions play a crucial role in developing the architectural profession and in advancing the quality of the built environment. They are also an opportunity for architects to showcase their creativity and experiment with innovative or unexpected architectural solutions, be it for real or imagines contexts. This week's curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights different competition-winning designs submitted by the ArchDaily Community.
From a spa and wellness center seamlessly integrated into the mountainous landscape of Austria to a refurbished city center that creates opportunities for social interaction in one of Bulgaria’s largest pedestrian city centers, the round-up spans various programs, scales, and attitudes toward the built or natural environment. The selected projects represent explorations in various design solutions, materials, and construction methods. They also showcase the broadness of possible responses ignited by site-specific conditions, from the volcanic landscape of Iceland, to the picturesque hills of the Kerala region in India or the lively central plaza in one of Israel’s largest cities.
The skyline of Cluj-Napoca, a city located in the Transylvania region of Romania, is defined by a mosaic of historical and modern buildings, giving the city a unique and diverse appearance. Among the visible landmarks, the Firefighters' Tower, or "Turnul Pompierilor" in Romanian, stands out for its mixture of styles, from Medieval stonework to Baroque detailing and contemporary interventions. Despite it being a relatively small monument, with a ground floor area of just under 50 square meters, the tower holds layers of history narrating the evolution of its neighborhood and city, from its beginnings during Medieval times until the present day. Left derelict in recent years, a new intervention by Vlad Sebastian Rusu B.I.A and Octav Silviu Olănescu B.I.A. aims to restore the tower's position as a repository of local history and an attractive space for residents and visitors alike. This article explores the story behind the Firefighters' Tower both narratively and visually, through the lens of Cosmin Dragomir.
The aim of this competition is to make it possible to identify and implement an integrated urban remodelling concept that meets the complex needs of an area of significant size for the efficient functioning of the city of Cluj-Napoca.
The purpose of the competition is to provide the public administration with the most efficient solution of sustainable urban development of the Feroviarilor Park area. The reintroduction of Feroviarilor Park into the patrimony of public green spaces of Cluj-Napoca city is regarded as a significant victory for the entire community and at the same time as a huge opportunity to rehabilitate
Architectural firm manadelucru has shared with us their recent proposal for the Cluj National Library Extension, located in Cluj Romania. Images and text after the break.
Ioana Mihaela Agachi, Octav S. Olanescu, Anamaria C. Popa and Vlad S. Rusu shared with us their first prize entry for the Transylvania Cultural Center. The competition was initiated by the Cluj-Napoca’s city administration to determine the best solution for the design theme for a new Cultural Center which is based on the city’s Cultural Developement Strategy. The new Cultural Center was designed to host a new Philharmonic Hall, offices, restaurants, spaces for performing artists, a building for restoration facilities and different exhibition spaces. More images and their description after the break.