Favorite European Cultural Center

Thematic Dossier

Text: Radu TEACĂ

On the footprint of the former Favorit Cinema, built in Bucharest in the 1970s in the Drumul Taberei district, part of a commercial complex that still bears its name today (the Favorit Complex), a new building is under construction that will house the Favorit European Cultural Center.
Although the former cinema has long since ceased to operate, and the lack of maintenance over the last 17 years has left it in a state of advanced wear and tear, the site itself has remained in the city's memory, with the cinema itself retaining the notoriety it has gained over the years.
Such considerations have influenced from the very beginning the idea of the project and the realization of a representative object for the whole area. We felt that what was needed was a volume with a personality, with the value of an "icon", which would represent a genuine cultural landmark for the Drumul Taberei neighborhood.

Symbol and landmark

The challenge of this project was to succeed, under the constraint of respecting the new footprint of the former Cinema Favorit, to make room for a more complex program, capable of fulfilling, in addition to the functional role corresponding to the design theme, the roles of landmark and pole of attraction for the neighborhood and its immediate area.
In addition to performances, the Favorit Cultural Center will also host creative activities/courses/workshops for children and young people, as a result of the citizens' consultation. Thus, the inhabitants of the neighborhood will be able to attend language classes, ballet lessons, dance classes, theater classes, computer classes, chess, etc. Multi-purpose rooms have been planned, which can be used for parties, school performances, etc. or for activities for senior citizens.

The interventions will be extended to the outside, with the creation of a public space for meetings and recreation, the redevelopment of the existing playground on the east side of the Cultural Center and the green space around the building, preserving the existing valuable trees. The former entrance hall on the ground floor of the cinema has been designed in such a way that it can be transformed into an exhibition space when needed. A permanent focal point of this lobby will be a landscaped space, called the "remember" corner, dedicated to displaying the letters of the former light company of the Cinematograf Cinematograf Favorit.

Urban concept

The main objective of the project was to create a cultural space for the neighborhood community, in order to stimulate creative skills, to develop and capitalize on a direct relationship between different artistic languages and media, the intervention aiming at promoting cultural identities in a European context and forms of communication between the public and the artist.
In addition to this thought of a macro-urban strategy, from the site's point of view, we considered that a sculptural form without a "main facade" and without a photogenic terrace would harmonize by contrast with an area of apartment blocks, partly realized in the 60s-70s (often of good architectural quality) modernist, Cartesian, surrounded by many green spaces.
For us, the very simple fact that the residents of the P+8 block to the north could see a sculptural object and not an uncirculated terrace was an important argument in support of this approach.
The proposed form seeks to protect and spatially extend the interiors, all with the aim of a natural, natural transition from the plan form of the existing structure to the new volume. We sought for the proposed zoo/phytomorphic-inspired form to take on tectonic valences through its very geometry, without conflicting with the structural efforts.
Another desideratum of the project was the communication of the interior with the related public space. Thus, the foyers, the hallways are in a transparent relationship with the square in front of the building through the total glazing of the façade. Also in the spirit of this idea, we turned to a current technical solution, a media facade, on which you can see the performances inside or any other type of images and videos. At the same time, it also acts as a sunshade, saving energy in summer.
For reasons of weight and shape of the volume, the finishing material will be titanium-zinc alloy sheeting, a coating system that will allow the special shapes of the building to be realized and create a fully ventilated envelope.
An important aspect of our approach was to create a quality public space. Thus, we proposed to mark the access by a small square specially treated by stereotomy and by the size and color of the different paving stones arranged not only in the access area, but also in the side "pocket" of the square, where we have provided a recreation area with benches, trees, etc.
The urban slab-like layout around the building allows for fluid pedestrian access from all possible directions. An added convenience is also provided by the possibility of direct access from the existing underground parking lot in the basement lobby.
The equipment included in the cinema system makes it possible to project 2D or 3D cinema productions in 2D or 3D format according to DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives) standards and norms.
Based on the conviction that the Favorit Cinematografic has a strong resonance in the consciousness of the inhabitants of the capital, especially those in the Drumul Taberei neighborhood, we considered that the new European Cultural Center needs a tailor-made architectural approach.

Technical details

Project Title: Consolidare, extindere si modernizare Cinematograf Favorit, S+P+3E+Et.tehnic, sector 6, București
Autor: arh. Radu Teacă
Address: Bdul Drumul Taberei, nr. 24A
Land area: 1.440,00 square meters
Built area: 1.221,00 square meters
Proposed floor area: 3.600,00 sq.m
Superstructure: dual system of reinforced concrete cores and counter-braced steel frames.
Wrapping: titanium-zinc sheet
Wrapping support layer: reticular membrane of round pipes
Floor slabs: composite solution of ducted sheet metal and reinforced concrete over-bonding.
Height: S+F+GF+3E+E+Technical floor
POT = 60%
CUT = 2,5

ARCHITECTURE MAGAZINE SUMMARY, NR.1/2019
Architecture. Movie. Cinema