Event

Bucharest Architecture Annual "Architecture Competition" (July 7 - July 17, 2011)

There is more and more talk today that Romania will enter the second economic crisis, or rather, the current crisis is somehow visualized in the shape of a W, the first part of the sign has just been crossed, the second is coming. If that is so, we ask ourselves, what about architecture and how will it situate itself in this rather troubled landscape? What strategies are we going to tackle precisely to counterbalance this prospect? These questions are essential both for the profession and for architectural events, because only they can create a closer link between the profession and the general public. The idea of limiting architectural events under the pretext of a decline in architectural production is sometimes put forward. The idea goes further, proposing a higher quality of architectural events, precisely by reducing their number and concentrating on the remaining ones. Here, by events, I refer to the Annuals, and not only those in Bucharest, but also those throughout the country. However, if we look at the materials exhibited at the Bucharest Annuals in the last two or three years, we will discover an exponential increase in the quality of architectural projects, but also in the quality of the events that publicized them. We also believe that a decrease in the number of events, whatever it may be, is not beneficial, precisely because the general public can only be educated by a constant and effective mediatization of architecture through these events. We will not have to decrease the number of events, but on the contrary, increase their number! This is the only way we will be able to resist in a period of crisis that seems to want to reduce architecture to zero. This is precisely why we have started to organize the Architecture Annuals in a new format, which is based on an increasing openness to the general public. This openness is necessary precisely in the difficult context I was talking about, because it maintains a balance between the public and the message of architecture as a cultural and social act, not just an economic one. The Bucharest Architecture Annual Bucharest 2011 is part of this upward direction, in which we are trying to transform a very good professional event, which the Annual has been so far, into a major cultural event in Bucharest. The 2011 Bucharest Annual of Architecture took place from July 7-17, 2011, at Sala Dalles, Bucharest, starting with two major directions: a) the theme of the Annual - Architectural Competition - as a specific way to impose quality in architecture, construction, but also social and cultural - in this sense, most of the events of the Annual were designed for this theme; b) "10 years of OAR Bucharest" - this year's Annual celebrated a decade of existence of the Bucharest branch. The public, both architects and culture lovers, were invited to all the events of the Annual. These were of many types, touching on almost all sides of the architectural field: architecture and design competitions, conferences, performances, workshops, exhibitions. The topics discussed, centered on the theme of competition in architecture, portray a global portrait of the contemporary Romanian architect wired to the current socio-economic and cultural realities. I would not like to give a description of all the events of the Annual, as it would develop a much too long text. Instead, I would like to recall some very particular moments that took place during this edition. First of all, as it was an anniversary edition, the Bucharest Branch presented medals of honor to the founding members and badges with the organization's logo to the other members. Another highlight was the visit, conference and exhibition of a young and internationally recognized Viennese architectural group, X Architekten. During the conference, the group recognized the importance of competitions in their start as an architectural firm. Participation in professional architectural competitions brought the group its first contracts and thus established it in the market. Also other notable moments were the debates on the Buzești-Uranus axis, initiated by Mario Kuibuș, which were attended among others by Mr. Șerban Sturdza, Mr. President of the OAR, Mr. Șerban Țigănaș, Hanna Derer, Mr. Mircea Ochinciuc President of the OAR Bucharest. The discussions focused on a critique of the current situation of the program initiated by the authorities and, at the same time, an alternative to it realized by architects. Among the most interesting events were the main exhibitions in Dalles Hall: A History of Architectural Competitions, The Alternative to the Buzești-Uranus Axis and the exhibition realized by the city hall and the designers, The Closure of the Capital's Median Ring Road on the Northern Arc between Colentina and Virtuții Roads, where the visitor could conclude on how architecture was realized in the past and how it is realized nowadays. Two events were organized in parallel with the Anuala: an exhibition of X Architekten's works, entitled Clouds, at the OAR Romania headquarters, Ion Mincu house and a second one, at the CIV Centre, the exhibition T II+ Instalează-te by Eduard Gabia and Justin Baroncea. A team of young architects has been invited to exhibit a parametric architectural installation called "HEX[igloo" in the main hall of The Dalles. In terms of the exhibition-competition, the 2011 Anuala benefited from architectural projects of consistently good quality, with the middle zone of Bucharest architecture becoming increasingly valuable, while maintaining a certain neo-modernist line. In the area of architectural books, works by authors whose structural conception went beyond the simple format of encyclopaedias or albums have established themselves. The architectural image section created controversies, which we will be able to resolve in other forms next year. The Architectural Annual juries were three: a) in the Architecture, Interior Design, Restoration, Unrealized Projects and Architectural Diplomas sections, Selma Harrington (President A.C.E.) - president of the jury, Oana Bogdan (Brussels), Radu Dragan (Paris), Alexandru Bălan (President of OAR Dobrogea), Alexandru Gavozdea (Vice-President of OAR Sibiu-Vâlcea); b) the architectural book, composed of Ioan Augustin - president of the jury, Mihai Duțescu and Bogdan Ghiu; c) the architectural image, composed of Mihai Oroveanu, Șerban Bonciocat and Constantin Aurelian Trișcu. Although in the midst of the economic crisis, architecture in Bucharest seems to be holding up both quantitatively and qualitatively. Although visibly less so in terms of quantity, the architecture of 2010-2011 is clearly on the rise. Therefore, we must constantly invent events to promote it to the general public, because only permanent communication will ensure our existence in the general public consciousness. In this context, the Architecture Annual 2011, was yet another struggle, won we believe, to maintain optimism in a guild quite affected by the difficult global events we are all going through now. For this I would like to thank the team at OAR Bucharest, our partners, MNAC and UAUIM, as well as our sponsors.