Matthew Hardy [EMAIL PROTECTED]
secretary of INTBAU wrote:
Dear Bucuresti group,
You may be interested to read INTBAU's news story on your protest:
http://www.intbau.org/news. htm#BucharestRev olutionSquare200 606
Best of luck with your efforts!
-----Bucharest's "Revolution Square" to be obliterated?
Protests over Municipality's scheme for office blocks in historic centreImage: Model showing in blue the proposed development- Courtesy "Save Bucharest Historic Centre
Controversy is growing in Bucharest over a proposal by the municipality of the Romanian capital for two tall office blocks and an underground parking garage in the so-called the "Revolution Square" of the city. The proposal has caused major concern among Romanian and foreign architects and others who wish to preserve the spirit and the architecture of the place. A civic group has launched a petition, called "Save Bucharest Historic Centre" which has so far been signed by over 2,500 people worldwide.Historic Square
The square is formed of mostly classical buildings and has great historic significance, reminding the world both of the last royal family of Romania and of its last communist dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu. "Revolution Square" is fronted on the west side by the former Royal Palace, which now hosts the National Gallery. The palace was built under the reign of Carol II (1893 - 1953) and is very much associated with the former royal family of Romania, part of the Hohenzollern dynasty, which was forced into exile by the communists in 1945.Facing the Royal Palace on the east is the former Palace of the Interior, used by the Communist Party of Romania after 1945. Probably the most famous feature of this building is its front balcony, from where Ceausescu delivered his last speech on 21 December 1989, received with anger and protest. It was the beginning of the bloodiest revolution in Eastern Europe, which marked the end of communism. Many demonstrators were killed in this very square.Negative impact
Traditional architects and civic groups who oppose the construction of the two office buildings say that the municipality did not engage in any real public consultation. In its defence, the municipality argues that it took advice from a national body of architects (Ordinul Arhitectilor din Romania, OAR) which backs the project. According to Romanian newspapers the contract for the two buildings' construction was given to the former director of the OAR, without a proper competition for the best project. INTBAU has asked the press office of the Bucharest municipality who is the architect and how the contract was awarded. The answer is yet to arrive.Traditional architects warn that the impact on the square will be utterly destructive, as the new blocks are designed as office buildings and shopping centres. They say that the area will be congested and more polluted as traffic will increase dramatically. Opponents of the project say that this will be "a mutilation of the historical centre and of the square which dates from the end of the 19th century". They also point out to the fact that the area is listed by conservation authorities, which should make any alteration very difficult.Modernist offensive
Civic groups and traditional architects of another Romanian city, Sibiu, have tried recently to stop a modernist mall development at the edge of its medieval centre. Sibiu - designated a European capital of culture 2007 - is a well preserved medieval town 800 years old. The municipality has backed recently a proposal to build a shopping centre at the edge of the medieval city, which is a listed area. Sibiu is about to be nominated on UNESCO World Heritage List and the development would compromise this status. Further details on this story at http://www.intbau.org/newsarchive2006.htm#SibiuMall0106
Dr Matthew Hardy, architect, architectural historian and Secretary of INTBAU, says that the encroachment of modernist buildings into historic centres seems to be a global problem. Recently the Ara Pacis Augustae - Latin for "Altar of Augustan Peace", commissioned by the Roman emperor Augustus Caesar on 9 BC - has been enclosed by a Modernist building, designed by the American architect Richard Meier. According to the Italian news agency, ANSA, the project - developed in Rome, Italy - was controversial and many Italians refer to it as phone box, gas station or "cesso", the most vulgar Italian word for toilet.The problem is also acknowledged by the Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Francesco Bandarin, who warns that contemporary architecture is increasingly "indifferent" to its historic context. Mr Bandarin proposed a set of measures whose effect would be to restrict permission for skyscrapers within historic places. There must be a limit to designing tall buildings around world heritage sites, he said, adding that "a lot of these iconic buildings are designed with no sense of context".- Aura Neag-----
Kind regards,
Matthew Hardy.
Dr Matthew Hardy, Secretary
International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism
19-22 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3SG, UK
+44 20 7613 8520, fax: +44 20 7613 8599
matthew.hardy@princes-foundati on.org
http://www.intbau.org/
INTBAU UK is a registered Charity No. 1103068
"one world, many traditions"
> ----------
> Salvati Centrul Istoric din Bucuresti
>
> Presedintele ASAUIM (Asociatia studentilor arhitecti Univ. Ion Mincu),
> domnul Horia Bejan a semnat scrisoarea deschisa a arhitectilor, este alaturi de noi.
>
> www . romanianews.net/scrisoarea- arhitectilor. html
>
> Posted by: "Marica Solomon" maricasolomon@gmail.com maricasolomon
> *sint absolut de acord cu demersurike grupului in constituire !
> IN ACEST SENS, DACA DISCUTAM DESPRE PROPUNERI CATRE
> UNESCO, ACESTEA TREBUIE
> SA FIE FACUTE CU SERIOZITATE PROFESIONALA
> multumesc,
> arh. Marica Solomon
> Scientific Secretary
> ION MINCU University of Architecture and Urbanism
> Center for Architectural and Urban Studies CSAU
>
> TERRA Mileniul III <[EMAIL PROTECTED]ro > wrote:
> Stimati initiatori,
> suntem alaturi de voi in demersurile de salvare a Bucurestiului.
> Este rusinos ceea ce se intampla acum cu atitudinea alesilor locali fata de norodul pe care il conduc.
> Lavinia Andrei
> TERRA Mileniul III
>
>
> JCornelio da Silva <jcorneliodasilva@yahoo.com > wrote:
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 03:27:23 -0700 (PDT)
> Subject: Re: Bucharest Historical Centre needs help !
> To: RN, matthew hardy <matthew.hardy@princes-foundati >on.org
>
> To my view, UNESCO has been attempting to preserve both its international authority and the unity of both built and natural places.
> Maybe an Open Letter to UNESCO launching an appeal could put some move upon the subject!
>
> Jose Cornelio da Silva
> INTBAU Steering Committee
>
>
> Cristian---- wrote:
>
> Dear Dr. Matthew Hardy (and dear specialists in maintenance of traditional architecture),
>
> Thank you for signing the "Save Bucharest Historic Centre" petiton:
>
> romanianews . net /petition-save-bucharest- historic- centre.html
>
> 2006-04-27 06:25:59 Matthew Hardy London matthewhardy Traditional city centres should be kept free of Modernist buildings.
>
> We are a core of specialists (architects) and intellectuals horrified by the Mayor Adriean Videanu project which doesn't respect the Romania's architectural traditions, the Romania symbols and the Romania's laws and the U.E. laws.
> We are trying to stop this project, but we just started, and the Piata Revolutiei (Revolution Square) mutilation has already begun with the construction of a 13 levels block in Piata Revolutiei near the Palace of Interns which is on the list of Architectural Monuments (the former Royal Palace of Interns and it was also the Communist Parliament and the Romania's Senate). The block is built on the place of the recent demolished Excelsior Theatre and the builders work now on the block foundation.
>
> We are in a desperate situation and, even if all the newspapers signaled the atrocity, almost no TV broadcaster said anything about this problem and no politician in Romania sustain our cause... and we cannot find any institution or official support in Romania because they are afraid of repercussions. Romania's democracy is very fragile, the people often self-censors themselves as a reminiscence of the fear of Communist Security surveillance and because the political power (the Democratic Party where Videanu is vice-president) is very dominative, they can fire anybody, they can change public workers, for instance from the Institute of Authorization in Construction, if they don't give them the approval. Another cause is the corruption of the politicians and authorities, corruption which is still very big in Romania. >
>
> Here is the translation of "Adevarul" ("The Truth") newspaper article:
>
> adevarulonline.ro/2006-04- 28/Actualitate/ scandalul- piata-revolutiei -ia-dimensiuni- internationale_ 182871.html
>
> The "Piata Revolutiei" scandal takes international dimensions
> by Georgiana BACIU , Adevarul journalist
>
> The scandal generated by the desire of the City Hall Municipality to make major changes in Revolution Square takes international amplitude. One of the online petitions against City Hall project was signed by the Secretary of INTBAU (International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism), Dr Matthew Hardy. INTBAU is an international organization for patrimony preserve, under Prince Charles attention, and it has all together the specialists which design, build, preserve, study or love architecture and traditional places.
>
> --------
>
> I want to finish this appeal by thanking you again and I hope you understand how delicate is the situation, being sort of hopeless in a Romania to oppose the Mayor Videanu which is like a Tyran, like a Dictator, Videanu got in newspapers the nickname of "Ceausescu 2nd the demolisher". Adriean Videanu was also accused by the newspapers he is an "ordinary thief" and a very corrupt man. He is currently court action by many Bucharest organizations and also by The Catholic Church "St. Iosif", but no positive decision was ever made by the Romanian Judiciary System.
>
> I want say that any help will be greatly appreciated in this dead-end situation we are, would be it possible that INTBAU to make an official statement or declaration about this matter? Also can you point us to any other E.U. or U.N.O International Organizations specialized in laws and respect of the patrimony which can help us?
>
> Thank you very much, Cristian,
> Vancouver, Canada
> moderator of "Bucuresti" yahoo group
>
> --------------------- --------- --- .![]()
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