7 years of the house with grace

Authors: project coordinators: arh. Diana Belci, arh. Adrian Bancoș

project assistants: arh. Alexandru Todirică, arh. Ionuț Dohotariu

consultants: arh. Teodor Octavian Gheorghiu (as MCC expert), arh. Gabriela Pașcu

Firm: Association for Active Heritage - PACT

Collaborators: Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism Timișoara

Ocna Sibiului Town Hall

Location. Sibiu, Topârcea

The house in which Father Teofil Părăian, an emblematic personality of Romanian religious life, lived, is located in the village of Topârcea, in the town of Ocna Sibiului (Sibiu County). Thus, the project addressed a group of 7 student architects who acquired in this way knowledge about vernacular architecture and traditional building techniques, local communities and their cultural values.

The aim is the professional training of student architects through an interdisciplinary education project. The Association for Active Heritage - PACT and its other partners have organized this summer school for student architects, providing an in-depth theoretical training, with the assistance of a team of specialists from several fields and the participation of craftsmen specialized in traditional techniques in the area, for a practical activity in the field of traditional architecture: partial restoration of a valuable vernacular architectural objective with potential for integration into the process of sustainable development of a rural locality. In the long term, the aim is that this whole traditional household complex will become a centre of traditional crafts and related disciplines that reach the rehabilitation and revitalization of traditional cultural heritage, as well as the Teofil Părăian Memorial House. It will constitute a model of good practice in the field of restoration of traditional architecture.

Interventions in traditional cultural heritage

The first interventions for the restoration were carried out in 2014. In 2015 the complete survey was carried out in the framework of the first summer school and the first intervention works were carried out. In 2016 the basement is drained, the degraded shed is restored, the restoration of the porch, the plinth of the house and the cornice is started. In 2017, restore two facades, start the restoration of the porch, restore one of the basement retaining walls and restore the access gate on the household plot. In 2018 two of the facades - the main ones, including their woodwork - were restored. In 2019 finish painting the house, after a color study, plaster the porch area and restore the house woodwork. In 2020 the ceilings are repaired with cane, the interior is plastered and the floors are repaired. In 2021 restored the summer kitchen area, a space attached to the house.

OAR, UAR, young people, obligations

In parallel with the professional training of young architects, for sustainable results and increased impact, the aim is to sensitize the community and local authorities towards a better understanding of the value of their own local cultural heritage. The House of Grace of Topârcea represents the first step in the formation of a permanent center of studies in architecture (and related disciplines) and traditional crafts. The project has been kept alive during these 7 years thanks to funding from the Timbrul de Arhitectură from the Union of Romanian Architects and the Romanian Order of Architects, as well as the Prince of Wales Foundation and several private donations.

The future sounds bright

Our summer school will continue to practically train young apprentices in architecture, aiming to transform, after full restoration, into a memorial house with a center for the study and promotion of the rural heritage of the area. In 2022, the organizers plan to continue the restoration of the summer kitchen area, finish the house part and complete the landscaping of the entrance area to the homestead.