RULMENTUL BRASOV: OPENING THE INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE
Location: Platforma Rulmentul, Brasov
Year: 2024
Competition organized by Romanian Architects Order in partnership with Brasov City Hall
1. The Hangar 6 assembly is the classic story with a good start and a bad ending. Our role is not to “solve” it, nor “occupy” it, but first to understand it, read it, heal it, and integrate it in the major vision we propose for the whole site. This “appendix-monster” should be thoroughly cleaned until the original limits of the Hangar6 are restored, thus slowy integrating it with the “historical avenue”. New closings should all be mobile, so this piece of history is opened towards the city.
2. The historical buildings are part of the city memory: collective, olfactive, visual, morphologic. In fact, one might understand they are the city. In our development, each hangar is activated as they work as a whole entity – a business/leisure platform that can host various events and activities, enciting the potential of development. The memory of the city must be treated as a whole, integrated as one and Hangar 6 is no different. Why take a memory from the city, change or interpret it instead of activating it and giving it back tenfold, as a testimony for future generations. Why take the ‘life’ when you can make ‘new life’.
3. On a regional level, maybe national, this is a one of a kind project. It is well know that the most know landmarks for Brasov are : Tampa Hill, Black church and Sfatului square. It’s a trifecta that works for historical cities. We think balance is a key when defining a new regional project, in the same time defining the times we live in but keeping a micro flexible all-season scenario for various functions that have different rhythms, spaces, insulations, illumination. Our intention is a natural continuation of the local scenario that;s given: a beacon and a square.We revitalize and leave to the city what it already has, and condense all the new functions in the most efficient way. A programme that connects to the site square and hangar, whilst building up to a new landmark for Brasov county.
4. The t1 tower stands as tall as the Black Church. It’s opened on all sides, where you can see Tampa Hill, Sfatului Square, the entrance and site square. The slim shape announces from various parts of the city and site that the urban fabric evolves, that is built smart, moves out of the center , activates it’s history, and grows as a society.The ground floor holds the major functions of spectacle hall and librare, fully opened to the square, hangar and river. It’s a natural connection of cultural functions that spread on the vertical also. For all the rest of the functions stacked one on top of each other, the circulation node is equipped with a big freight elevator that can carry props, big artworks, furniture, equipment etc. The functions define the materiality and sensuality of the build. It’s a sleek finished build, with various-angled planes that offer sun-protection, define public spaces and entrances, gathers, dissipates and in the and pose a dynamic- kinetic image of our current times.
Nevertheless, the technology, structure and materials are simple, efficient and well-used to ensure confort, durability and efficiency.
We will all gather to understand, that, in the end, they all make up the city. The old, the new, the void, the tension, the unknow, but one thing is for sure: you can make history, not change history.