What do an (apparently) interwar modernist apartment block, a semi-rural house with a flower garden, both in Bucharest, and the opulent official residence in Suceava designed by the famous architect couple Nicolae and Maria Porumbescu have in common? They all defy the logic of totalitarian-era housing – serial, uniform, mass-produced.
Non-standard dwelling in Romania between 1945 and 1989 is little known and a lot more varied than we would believe. There are private dwellings for engineers, doctors and architects, the regime elite’s residences, tiny houses yet with their proud own yard, tourist accommodation units or just unique apartment buildings in central locations. Their story is one of unexpected continuity, of architectural and cultural values that both describe and transcend the regime in which they were produced.
This is a book on drama, subversion and courage, on individuality and solidarity, on architects and their clients, on privilege, exclusion and doing a lot with very little. We travel to Bucharest, to the cities of Cluj, Timișoara, Craiova, Suceava and to the sea.
Some of the examples are great architecture in their own right: they were created by unknown architects, but also by local 20th century masters: Haralamb (Bubi) Georgescu, the architect couples Porumbescu and Mircea și Cleopatra Alifanti.
The works are documented through architecture, history and anthropology texts, new and archive pictures, as well as redrawn plans.
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Data:
Dimensions:185 x 270 mm
Page number: 224, full colour
Hard cover
ISBN 978-973-0-41107-2
Credits:
Editors: Irina Tulbure, Ștefan Ghenciulescu
Authors: Irina Tulbure, Laura Popa Florea, Zenaida-Elena Florea, Vlad Olaru, Alexandra Ioana Radu, Amalia Nedelcu Rucsandra Pop, Alexandru Belenyi, Tudor Elian, Vlad Rusu, Lazăr Marian, Ștefan Ghenciulescu
Research collaborator: Diana Mihnea
Research collaborator, redrawn plans: Ruxandra Balcanu
Photos: Andreea Cel Mare, Laurian Ghinițoiu, Marius Vasile, Szabó Tamás, Leonid Elaș, the authors, archives
Design concept : Radu Manelici
Design: Claudia Draghia
DTP: Ioan Olteanu
Translations : Ioana Miruna Voiculescu, Teodor Călinoiu, Cătălina Frâncu
Zeppelin team: Raluca Marțiș, Mugur Grosu, Cătălina Frâncu, Matei Constantinescu
Special thanks: To the dwellers, the architects, their descendants, our partners, to all
those whose support, information and openness made this book possible
This project is co-financed by the Administration of the Natural Cultural Fond (AFCN). The project does not necessarily represent the position of The Administration of the National Cultural Fund. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the application or the way the program results can be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding.
This project is supported by the Romanian Order of Architects, from the Architectural Stamp Duty
