Time Travel

Viorica CUREA, President of the UAR (2012-2016)

Time

The passing of the years has not erased the message conveyed by our forefathers.

On February 26, 2016, we celebrated 125 years since the establishment of the Society of Romanian Architects, founded in 1891. By Decree-Law No. 127 of April 27, 1990, the Romanian Architects' Union is the rightful heir, moral and patrimonial heir and continuator.

It has been a long road, with a troubled history and interweaving of different destinies, in which, however, the creative work in architecture has been a salvation, a moral and spiritual support. Culture, broad horizons and professional passion have been a way out of the daily grayness and endless transitions that we had to overcome and still have to overcome. It was a journey through time, often along different paths between physical and inner experiences, which not infrequently became poetic, free, often turning into a beautiful voyage of ideas.

Becoming a member of the Romanian Union of Architects shortly after graduating from university, I felt the pride of being part of a special guild community, but also the responsibility of being at the height of this profession.

This responsibility has increased in recent terms as a member of the UAR Senate and even more so in the last term when I became UAR President.

Balance

I can say that it has been the red thread that I have been looking for, between listening and being listened to, between official and collegial obligations, between professional requirements and understanding human difficulties, between the requirements of senior and very young colleagues and, last but not least, balance in the balancing of financial resources and the professional, cultural and social requirements laid down in the Statute. At the end of a term of office, it is very difficult to judge to what extent this balance has been achieved. Looking back, a four-year activity report may better reflect the achievements and shortcomings.

The activity for the period 2012-2016 was oriented on the Strategy and the provisions of the UAR Statutes, approved at the National Conference on May 5, 2012, taking into account that the UAR is a professional association of creators, apolitical, independent, with legal personality, private law, non-profit, carrying out an activity of public utility for an unlimited duration.

The main objectives being the promotion of architecture and urbanism as fields of culture, including the protection of built and landscape heritage, special attention has been paid to cultural projects carried out on a regular basis and in particular, the organization of professional-cultural events of particular importance, such as the National Biennale of Architecture, the Venice International Biennale of Architecture, the National Congress of Heritage, the organization of symposia, architecture and visual arts exhibitions, etc.

Facts

Through UAR publications, such as the magazine ,,Arhitectura", "Observatorul Urban" and "Buletinul Informativ al UAR" (BIUAR), the dissemination of information on architecture, urbanism, restoration and protection of architectural heritage was ensured in all environments and professional training was supported, such as the program ,,De-a Arhitectura", addressed directly to students and teachers in schools. During this period, through the care of the cultural commission and the administrative department, working conditions were organized at the archive and at the UAR Library, for digitized recording, adequate storage and reading rooms.

The support of these programs would not have been possible without the financial contribution constituted by the Architecture Stamp Fund. The funds are, according to the application rules, strictly used for cultural and social programs only.

Being a member of the National Alliance of Creators' Unions (ANUC), the members of the UAR benefit from the provisions of Law no. 8 of 11.01.2006 on the establishment of the allowance of 50% of the pension for pensioners of the public pension system, members of the legally constituted creators' unions recognized as legal persons of public utility and of Law no. 118 of 15 March 2002 for the establishment of the merit allowance, in a fixed number of 110 architects with a particularly valuable activity.

Thanks to these benefits, between May 2012 and May 2016, the number of UAR members has increased from 1,600 to 2,133 at present, of which 1,600 architects benefit from indemnities according to Law no. 8/2006.

It should be noted, however, that there are UAR members including architects who are still practicing, as well as young architects, even trainees, mainly involved in cultural projects.

The cultural events held regularly at the Center for Architectural Culture on J. L. Calderon Street have confirmed the CCA's increasingly important place in the life of the Union and, in general, in the cultural life of Bucharest. Since May 2012, there have been some 47 exhibitions (30 painting exhibitions, 10 photography exhibitions, 2 UNRMI exhibitions, one tapestry and one glasswork exhibition, 2 exhibitions by students from UAUIM and the University of Spiru Haret); 10 book launches and launches of issues of the magazine "Arhitectura"; round tables, conferences and debates on architectural themes, etc., and in 2015, the CCA was one of the highly appreciated participants of the Gallery Night. At the same time, the J. L. Calderon Street premises hosted the jury and exhibition of projects for competitions organized by the UAR, such as the competition for the Romanian pavilions at the 2016 Venice Biennale, the expansion of the Centre for Architectural Culture (library and archives), the competition for the visual identity of UAR publications.

In order to strengthen the architect's social status, financial support actions were promoted for architects in need, granting occasional or in serious cases quarterly aids, during 2012-2016, to 253 members, totaling 731,200 lei. During this period there were 106 deaths for which burial aid of 2,500 lei was granted, including for the young architects who died at the Colectiv Club.

A total of 818 architects benefit from the health card established with the "Regina Maria" Medical Centre, for which an annual amount of 396,000 lei is paid, i.e. about 1,500,000 lei over this four-year period (depending on the euro exchange rate). In order to create a possibility for socializing, trips, anniversaries, cultural and professional events were organized. A total amount of 3.089.236 lei has been spent for the social sector during these 4 years (according to the financial report).

For a better knowledge and collaboration between the UAR branches, annual meetings were organized between the presidents of the branches in the country and Bucharest, together with the administrative management and the architects involved in the UAR activity. In 2013, arh. Mircea Țibuleac organized the reception in Sibiu as part of a very interesting cultural program, in 2014, the presidents' meeting was organized in Bucharest during the National Biennale of Architecture, and in 2015, arh. Stelian Fleschin, president of the Alba branch, organized the meeting of the branch presidents from all over the country in Alba Iulia, in a historical and cultural setting of high value. On this occasion, a visit was made to the 800.00 square meters of free use of the space allocated to the Romanian Union of Architects, in the representative area of the Princes' Palace, through a document signed with the management of the City Hall of Alba Iulia. The objective becomes particularly interesting for the organization of the Transylvanian Center of Architectural Culture, including for the organization of the historical events in 2018.

Through the UAR's policy of entering into partnerships with important institutions in the country and abroad, events of high academic standing have been organized, such as:

- The partnership with the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Romanian Cultural Institute with the involvement of the UAR in the organization of the competition for the projects to represent Romania at the Venice International Architecture Biennale in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

- The partnership with UAUIM as a co-organizer made it possible to organize and conduct the National Biennale of Architecture, both as project presentations, jury, but also as exhibitions and conferences held for 20 days, in a suite of events, co-opting other prestigious partners and sponsors.

- In partnership with UAUIM and the National Union of Restorers, the National Heritage Congress was initiated and organized, presenting scientific papers of high academic level and exhibitions of the most valuable restorations, in 2013 in Sinaia and in 2015 in Bucharest, at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.

- Through a good collaboration between UAR, UAUIM and ICR, a study on "Romanian Architects Creators of Cultural Heritage" was elaborated, which was presented through traveling exhibitions in London, Budapest, Rome, Madrid, Rome, etc. and in the country.

Finally, I would like to recall the saying that "Time passes, time chooses" and perhaps, with the passing of the years, time will reveal more clearly the true balance that we have achieved.