Cultural wear

School and summer were never synonymous for a student. I still remember the anticipation that filled the classroom during the last week of school. The air was vibrating, and we were in no condition. The desks suddenly became extremely uncomfortable. A six-hour day was ticking down like Dali's clock, and we were sinking into our desks, racked with heat and... boredom. Studying brings with it so many freedoms and challenges, new experiences (and new fears), energy and a great intrinsic desire to explore, affirm and learn. All this can be found in the relaxed but highly dynamic setting of a summer school. On a slightly pragmatic note, beyond the personal and professional experience gained, extra-curricular activities represent added value in the portfolio of each student or recent graduate.

ZHANG Han-Lu-Lu-Simona

Summer School in PORT CULTURAL

My experience at the Summer School - PORT CULTURAL began in 2018, when I timidly stepped into the classroom of "Stefan Cel Mare" University, where an effervescent collective, full of initiative and hope, was waiting for us. Although Suceava was "home" to me, I was unaware of many of the issues tacitly faced by vernacular architecture in Bucovina. It was a busy week. I learned about entrepreneurship. We worked with multidisciplinary teams, formed in workshops on tourism, heritage, creative industries, gastronomy and architecture. We developed a workable proposal in two days and a bit. We presented the proposal to the local authorities in 10 minutes. I watched as local people watched in fascination as I hastily made renderings, laptops on my lap, 5 minutes before the presentation. I learned about the architecture that no one defends. We met the souls who are struggling to repair the house in which three or four generations have lived beautifully. I understood the huge difference that a group of empathetic, courageous and sensitive people can make. I understood what it means to be a community fighting for the preservation of traditional values and heritage.

Spatial experiences for visitors of all ages

In summer 2018, I participated in the Summer School - PORT CULTURAL as a student. I worked closely with the USV team, volunteer architects and fellow students who came from all over the country to learn about entrepreneurship, heritage and tourism. For me, architecture in Bucovina was not just a one-summer love, and in 2022 I will have the honor and pleasure to join the team of organizers as the coordinating architect of the 6th edition Architecture Workshop, which will take place in July 2022 in Suceava and Cacica. Through the Architecture Workshop, we aim to continue the previous initiatives of our colleagues, to outline new concepts for the layout of the halls of Salina Cacica, to realize interactive panels and to build together with the team of students spatial experiences for visitors of all ages.

Because we love the countryside, but from our smartphones...

We found a summer school in Iași that challenges you to maintain a close connection between the virtual and the real. BIM International Summer School (BIM-iss), of which I have been part of the organizing and training team since 2019, attracts students and professionals from all corners of the world, with former participants from the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Macedonia and South Africa. The two weeks of work&fun lay the foundations of Project Management knowledge and collaboration across disciplines (architects, structural engineers, installation engineers, other specialists), using advanced computer design techniques, 3D scanning technologies, presentations and demonstrations by our partners and... karaoke nights. Some students don't know how to say goodbye and become trainers in the following year.

What's the best part?

Training starts from 0. You need no prior knowledge of design or project management programs. The two-week course provides an overview of the BIM design process used in real projects across Europe. After two editions held in a mixed mode (online and on-site), the 5th edition, scheduled for July 2022, aims to innovate the program and give students the opportunity to interact, in networking sessions, with potential employers in the construction industry.

Between you and me, the beer is on us... on day one :)

Warning. This is not an advertising message. This text is not meant to persuade, but only to present, in few and simple words, my humble tangent with the extracurricular activities I have gone through during my undergraduate years and beyond.