Intermediate results, activities for 2008

The activities during 2008 were: bibliographic research and national archives (history and present time), on site investigations (Bucharest and Paris), contacts with the authorities, Bucharest, Paris and other European cities, participation to the Francophone Congress of Construction History, in Paris, articles.

In Romanian nowadays context, the analysis of European situation is an extremely important mechanism. It delivers answers to the question: why Romanians cannot feel yet architectural and urban improvements after joining the European Union. The research studies some of the main problems in Bucharest, analyses the European examples and specifies the possibilities of improvement in Romania.

During the year 2008, the research led to Paris, London, Madrid, Barcelona, Wien. Contacts have been established with local authorities, professional organizations, researchers, such as the contacts with the Design For London Authority, The Madrid College of Architects or the Barcelona College of Architects.

The documentation for historical and present period led to a supplementary 350 bibliographical references, of which over 100 are directly quoted.

The research led to published or accepted articles, such as a chapter of the Actes du Premier congrès francophone d'histoire de la construction, l'Institut national d'histoire de l'art et les Editions Picard, Paris, scheduled for 2009 and the article The wounded Bucharest: seven conditions for saving the city [Bucureştiul rănit: 7 condiții europene pentru salvarea oraşului], Arhitectura, Bucharest, no.64, may 2008.

Introduction to the synthesis of 2008

Romanians keep asking themselves why they cannot feel yet architectural and urban improvements after joining the European Union.

Starting form the second year of research, answers to this question are given by means of publications or international interventions. This way, the dissemination of the research proves its actuality. The synthesis of the 2008 research indicates the impact of Romanian and European history on the future of Bucharest.

Historical landmarks

Bucharest is one of the European capitals which starts massive urban redevelopment during the XIXth century. At the time, Romania found in France both the political support for its national ideals of Independence and the cultural model applied to architecture and urbanism. Paris is, in fact, the only city which, at the mid of the XIXth century, profoundly redevelops and may become a model for Bucharest, before Wien or Barcelona.

For the capital city of Romania, architecture, education, legislation and urban development are largely inspired by the French model. The link between Romania has to be looked for in the most profound connections. Romanian architecture, although largely inspired by France, has its own originality. Although it resides in the Beaux-arts School, it doesn’t have the hausmannian regularity. It is, at fist, eclectic, then romantic, national-romanian and then modernist. The urbanism operates in Bucharest with French instruments adapted to local conditions. Boulevards are straight but the continuous French facades are replaced by elegant villas. This way, the French boulevard planté is replaced by the Romanian bulevard parc.

At the beginning of the XXth century, Bucharest faces, along with new political alliances, an explosive growth of population to which the French model has no solution but for which Germans and English are better prepared. Bucharest gives up French model for London and Berlin. This influence touches both the architectural and urban production.

Bucharest enters a new period of European synchrony. Bucharest’s development outstrips of some of the major European cities. The first haussmannian boulevards, such as Academiei, are ahead Rome, Bruxelles, Prague Zagreb or Madrid. Bucharest is already at maturity with its Contest for the city Masterplan of 1921. The Romanian capital city launches a big scale modern architectural production. His works are awarded, in 1939, with the Gold Medal and the Big Prize of urbanism at the International Water exhibition in Liège.

Starting from a long European influence, Bucharest enters the world concert on the eve of the Second World War.

The actuality of history

The changes of the communist period and the development after 1989 brought the capital face to problems solved already more than a century ago: illegal constructions, stray dogs, disobey of urban regulations.

More of the nowadays problems can be found in the article The wounded Bucharest: seven conditions for saving the city [Bucureştiul rănit: 7 condiții europene pentru salvarea oraşului], Arhitectura, Bucharest, no.64, may 2008.