JP

Architecture is......symbol ...sustainability ...connection ...information ...expression ...context ...people ...work

“Architecture starts when you carefully put two bricks to-gether. There it begins.”

Mies van der Rohe

While being an intern before I increased my team working and communication skills, in different working environments: international and intercultural. I developed both con-ceptual projects and design presentations for competitions and large scale projects, where I demonstrated my abilities as a team player and expanded my competence as a designer.I enjoyed performing architectural surveys on the Histria archeological site together with archeologists, where I particularly appreciated the interdisciplinary environment. I also supervised work on site, conducted an inventory and learned about archeological excavations. As a student in Sheffield I wrote my dissertation on Social Housing: Park Hill and Cartierul Catelu, an analysis of two collective living complexes from UK and Romania. I demonstrated the ability to adjust and successfully developed team projects such as urban analysis and design workshops. Together with the team we won a One Day archi-tectural design competition organised by the university.

I am especially interested in viewing architecture as a social activator and as support for activities and behaviour. The problems of architecture in Romania encouraged me to look upon issues such as social housing and activities in public space.

Evolo 2011, Isover 2010 (mention), Student of the year 2010 (first 5), Inspired 2010, Arhetipuri 2010OAR - Bursary for academic performance 2010, UAUIM - Diploma for Excellent Results 2008

Foreign languages: English - excellent, French -fair, Spanish - fair

Computer skills: Autocad, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, SketchUp, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Power Point) and basic knowledge of : Ecotect, 3DS MAX, Access, Rhino.

Silvia Raluca Georgescuemail: georgescu_ralu@yahoo.com

phone: 004(0)734586896

student at: University of Architecture and Urbanism Ion Mincu Bucharest, Romania (UAUIM), grad year: 2012

Studied at:ERASMUS student at Sheffield University, UK 2008-2009

Internships:Juan Pedro Donaire Arquitectos, Sevilla, Spain - 2010

AIKO Architecten & Ingenieurs, Maldegem, Belgium - 2009Histria Archeological site, Romania - 2009, 2010

Previous work and studies, projects and dissertation

My interests:

Competitions and prizes:

Competencies:

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CONTENTS

06 Evolo Design Competition 2011

12 Isover Design Competition 2010

18 Public Space as Link

24 Information Wall

30 Street Theatre

44 Rediscovering Identity

52 Magheru Boulevard Urban Analysis

60 Juan Pedro Donaire InternshipJP

pages:18 - 51DESIGN year/project/date

Y0P0 0000

pages:52 - 60URBANISMyear/analysis/date

Y0UA 0000

pages: 60 - 64JP DONAIRE ARH. internship/date

JPIN 0000

pages:06 - 17COMPETITIONS number/date

C0 0000

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C1 2011

COMPETITION 1: eVOLO 2011

...symbol

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EVOLO 2011 Closer to Heaven

-the sky high cemetery-type : group project

The modern world is experiencing an aggressive affirmation of the individual. We are valuing more the image of youth than the wisdom of old age, and so we are avoiding to accept our mortality. In this period of diminished spirituality and lack of belief in afterlife, people become more preoccupied of the conservation of their human remains. Burial ceremonies are diverse, but the concept of burial grounds has rarely been questioned. The physicality of death is in search of a new image and place. This task is not easy in an era of migration, multi- ethnicity and demographic dynamism.

The traditional skyscraper is an icon of the consumerist society that is now in crisis. However the idea of vertical development remains a contemporary theme as a response to demographic growth.

The Sky High Cemetery is an attempt to explore and funda-mental rethink the horizontal cemetery concept, no longer efficient due to insufficient and expensive sites inside the city. The cemetery be-comes a sustainable architectural program, releasing the ground, as a direct answer to urban density. Both generic and specific, the tower will grow organically with the city it is built in, becoming in a symbolic way its’ physical genealogical tree.

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The Merry Cemetery from the village of Sapanta, Romania is famous for its colourful tombstones that describe in paint-ings and rhymes the persons buried. Instead of focusing on the tragedy of someone’s death the cemetery expresses the beauty of the individuals’ life. This attitude is said to derive from the local ancient Dacian culture. It is told that the Dacians used to cry when a baby was born and be happy when someone died, as they anticipated a better life after death next to Zalmoxis, their god. The idea of death viewed in an optimistic and detached way was highly inspiring.

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The elevatorThe elevators work using a internal GPS system. In order to

reach the desired tomb, a person has to input the name of the deceased on the control panel of the elevator.

Intertwining tubes of glass with a parametric metal structure make the almost immaterial body of the cemetery.

The structure becomes infrastructure. The tombs are at-tached at different points on the tubes, resulting in diverse

typologies with different atmospheres.

The family tomb It accommodates an entire family. The oldest member of the family can order the tombs for the other younger members. Pictures, stories and other information about the family can

be accessed from small touchscreen panels placed next to the graves. The larger entry space in front of the row of

tombs could be used for the reunion of the living family.

The VIP tomb Represents the burial place of a famous person.

It will display a large area to accommodate a big number of visitors. Information about the person will be available from

the virtual archive, on a screen next to the actual grave. Small conferences or tribute shows could be held inside.

The tomb for individuals It will accommodate persons of any ethnicity and reli-

gion. It is formed from a larger space which has up to 5 graves attached on the outside. On top of the tombs, small gardens could be arranged, as light enters in the

central space from the upper part of the perimetral tombs. The central space in this case is the given entity and the

peripheral elements are each added when a new tomb is needed.

The cremation tomb Is a continuous oval space with a perimetral cremation wall,

and zenithal natural lighting.

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The multi- etnic chapel accommodates many religions : Christi-anity , Judaism, Islamic, Buddhism and Hinduism.

Being built underground it is the place where the funeral processions start.

Public floorsThe ground level is entirely public. The ground is liberated of graves, the space is given back to the city.

The first floors of the tower will be given to the use of the living, representing an articulation between the city and the cemetery by various uses: museum, of-fices, shops. The skyline becomes the limit between the profane and the sacred.

Following the example of the medieval catholic town, where the cathedral square was the heart of the town, the cemetery would reenter the city centre, catalysing people in public space.

office

gallery

mall

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COMPETITION 2: Isover 2010 - Kadet Mention

C2 2010

...sustainability

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ISOVER 2010prize: kadet mention

location: Paris, France - La Villette type : group project

The theme of the contest was to renovate an old warehouse lo-cated between and industrial area, office and residential buildings situ-ated close to the university and the city centre. The inhabitants from the surrounding area are mainly immigrants and the local criminality level is known to be rather high. In spite of the proximity to the La Villette Park and all its facilities the area lacks amenities for the inhabitants of the neighbourhood or of the city.

The goal of the project is to increase the standard of living in the area by providing the people with the facilities they need. The ar-chitectural approach is to transform the old warehouse into an icon for the neighbourhood by converting it into a community centre with office spaces that financially support the first.

The reconverted building will become a social link between the city and the neighbourhood, maybe even a touristic attraction, a con-nection between the canal and the city itself. The surrounding space will be revived also, becoming entirely public, and will host: a garden and public parks, a public pool, a boat stop, a playground for children, a skate park, tennis and basketball courts and a parking space.

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site

canalsubway

train

La villettePark

< urban contextThe site is situated 20 minutes walking distance from La Villette Park in Paris. The area is accessible by subway being situated 5 minutes from the exit.

One important characteristic is the proximity of the building to the canal. It can easily be perceived as a tourist attraction.

site new design >The surrounding area will also be

changed. Activities such as sports and a swimming pool will be added to the site as well as parking space.

Near the building a ferry stop will be proposed

< existent buildingThe structure of the building is intact.However facade materials are to be replaced in the new proposal. Be-ing a former industrial building, the central area is not well lit.

The buildings long facade is ori-ented towards the river.

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the facade A layer of panel glass elements is drawn over the face of the new building creating a striking contrast to the existing build landscape around. Over the window areas are louvres that can be opened individually by an automatic device to allow the morning light to enter and protect against the afternoon sun. They are a source of indirect light reflecting it inside.

shading diagram facade details

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community centre

office building

solar chimney / the light wellAn atrium was “cut” in both parts of the build-ing, to serve for natural ventilation and illumi-nation. The shape of the two differs from a number of reasons, mainly architectural. The office building has the LIGHT WELL, the com-munity centre has the SOLAR CHIMNEY.

section

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YEAR 2. PROJECT 2: Public Space as a Link. 2008

Y2P2 2008

...communication

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Public Space as Linklocation: Bucharest Romania

tutor: Emil Barbu Popescu, UAUIM Bucharest type: group project

The project deals with a problematic site, both socially and ar-chitecturally. Situated in front of the old fashioned shop, ”Big Berceni ” and near the vegetables market under the same name, the site is rarely used as a public space. The high pedestrian transit is caused both by the commercial activity extended outside of the buildings and by the proximity of the underground station. People pass by but do not use the space which is even fenced on away from the commercial area. However the entire zone is subject to change. A new Mall will be built across the street from the existing site.

Our proposal aims to help develop the old commercial area by connecting it with the public spaces of the ”Sun Plaza Mall”. The pas-sage will connect the relocated underground station exit to the site and will then exit in front of the mall.

The ground level of the site is lowered in order to reach the level of the underground passage. It also creates a more protected pub-lic space which will serve as a community activator, containing play-grounds, relaxation areas, grass platforms, planted zones and ramps, all separated form one another due to ground geometry. But by its con-nection to the mall, the space will also serve as meeting point.

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The pedestrian circulation analysis shows that the routes preferred on the area are the ones linking public transportation and ones leading towards en-trances. There is a fence between the park and the building which prohibits circulation.

The auto circulation acts as a barrier and noise source.A means of insolation is to lower the ground level of the area thus providing a new metro exit at 20m from the old one, and link-ing the area with the new MALL across the street by an underground pas-sage.

When lowering the ground floor level exist-ent trees must be taken into account. This gives a fragmented relief of the ground allowing us to create different types of spaces in each alveoli.

Sun Plaza Mall

Site

Big Berceni store

Market

pedestrian circulation

traffic noise

existent vegetation

site analysis site plan site photos 20

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YEAR 2. PROJECT 2: Information Wall. 2008

Y2P1 2008

...knowledge

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Information Walllocation: Bucharest Romania

tutor: Emil Barbu Popescu, UAUIM Bucharest type: individual project

This project is about the changes that a tourist office undergoes in the age of technology and information. The existent old-fashioned tourist desk of the train station can no longer support the public de-mand and became inefficient especially since no self-service is cur-rently provided. It now needs to transform and create a connection with the city as well as to serve its main purpose. The proposal creates an ”everything you need” wall that would not only answer questions but also provide solutions: connection to transport, bike rental, self-service ticketing, public phones, waiting area, etc. along with a traditional infor-mation office.

The site represents the first contact with the city life for tourists, weather they come from the airport terminal and chose to come into town by train or they simply arrive at the train station.

However close from the train station, the site is problematic due to its proximity to a residential building. Therefore, the project will become a two sided wall that inhabits public functions on one side and a semi-private relaxation area on the other.

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Gara de nordBucharest

site

public buildingsprivate buildingsite residential area

The site is conflicted: residential buildings (without a public ground floor) are facing the most repre-sentative site of the city: the arrival point of most tourists. The information wall creates a LIMIT between public and private space, redirecting its two sides towards specific functions.

residential park

Gara de nordBucharest

site

public buildingsprivate buildingsite residential area

Function short description

Plan Section image

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Once informed about the subway and other means of transport tourists will find additional information at the main circulation nodes in Bucharest:

Piata VictorieiCharles de GaulePiata UniriiPiata Universitatii

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Y3P2 2009

YEAR 3. PROJECT 2: Castlegate Street Theatre. Site Analysis. 2009

...communication

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Castlegate Urban Analysislocation: Sheffield, UK

tutor: Carole Letham, University of Sheffield UK type: group project

The Castlegate Market area in Sheffield is now subject to con-troversy due to the initiative of the authorities to undertake a develop-ment program for changing the face of one of the last remaining old fashioned markets. A similar attempt has been made with The Moor which is now a modern commercial area. How do the people of Castle-gate feel about this? While some are against it many are simply not aware.

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Castlegate analysis:

site location primary axesfor the general site analysis of Castlegate area we have chosen to use the method based on main and secondary axes (main streets). This approach was used by “Index Architekten” (Frankfurt), Clea C Gross (Zurich). Carlos Matter (Zurich) as a part of the “Open spaces project” (Rechberhousen). The area studied by the architects was a village in Germany.

sound analysisA sound analysis was performed on two levels: sound during the day (people talking and traffic sound) and sound during the night (city centre, clubs, street). The strongest sound during the day comes from traf-fic noise. Surprisingly, during the night the most noise comes from secondary streets (where the clubs are situated in the area)

grain map

the site

Site location - aerial photo

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natural lightingThis map shows the level of natural light on the main and secondary axes. The amount of light depends on the position of the street and its orientation, street width and height of the surrounding buildings.

From the map we can assume the layout of the area from the ground level.

circulationThe pedestrian circulation is higher in areas where there is a bus station or along the main axes.

artificial lightingThe overlap of the two ;light analysis during the night and during the day reveal unexpected results. Such a small lane as Castle Green is well lit and shows a great safety level during the night. However Castle Street near the Exchange Street seems rather dan-gerous. Independent of the street lights, the buildings are lit with fixed lights changing the character of the area.

functional analysisCastlegate’s main functions are commercial, market and retailing. There is also a main governmental area, which be-comes the most influential function.

functional analysis - photoCastlegate Market

artificial lighting - photo

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Narratives, Clues and The Archaeology of Castlegate[a series of elevations of the city’s floor]

“...Flâneur: the term flâneur comes from the French verb flâner, meaning ‘to stroll’. A flâneur is thus a person who walks the city in order to experience it...”[Oxford Dictionary of English]Having walked the streets of Castlegate, a se-ries of partial elevations of the floor was pro-duced. These try to investigate the sequential clues that specific points around Castlegate presented upon inquiry.“...Momma always says there’s an awful lot you could tell about a person by their shoes. Where they’re going. Where they’ve been. I’ve worn lots of shoes...”[Tom Hanks, Forrest Gump]Alongside these studies of the urban fabric, photographs of the shoes of passersby were taken with their consent.

route 1:Constable ParkinBorn:Sheffield, South YorkshireTime of photographSunday, 0830 am“Waiting to go to Hillsborough in convoy to supervise local football derby”

route 2:Det. Inspector BanksBorn:Castlefield, South YorkshireTime of Photograph:Sunday, 0845 am“Waiting to go to Hillsborough in convoy to coordinate supervision of local football derby”

route 3:Constable TannerBorn:Sheffield, South YorkshireTime of photograph:Sunday, 0905 am“Departing Police HQ to start beat”

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Agit Prop device

conceptThe Agit prop device exercise consisted in the development of a piece of urban furni-ture that would engage people into conver-sation with us.

The bus station, a place where you normal-ly have to stand and wait, will be taken over by news- paper articles about the redevel-opment of Castlegate Market Area and the history of the place.

processbonding...The second stage of the project was trans-porting it on the actual site in order to obtain more information and reactions from peo-ple. Most of the persons interviewed had strong opinions against the future ”modern developments” that the area was about to undertake, while others were unaware of the future changes. The area was in need of a project that would both inform the un-knowing and give a support for manifesta-tions of the knowing, but most importantly create a dialogue between the two.

cardboard 50x50 panelsnext, 50 by 50 cardboard panels are fixed on the structure.

cardboard tubes structurefirst, cardboard tubes are cut forming the structure of the new object. The structure is supposed to be curved so that it can be self bearing

printed newspaper articlesonce tne newspaper articles team completed the research on articles on Castlegate they assembled a0 sheets that are now glued on the structure. Next step: transporting the agit prop device on site

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YEAR 3. PROJECT 2: Street Theatre. Design Proposal. 2009

Y3P2 2009

...expression

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Street Theatredesign proposal

location: Castlegate, Sheffield, UKtutor: Carole Letham, University of Sheffield UK type: individual

project

After performing the site analysis in teams, I considered that the most influential site of the Castlegate Market area is the one situated in front of the governmental buildings, the Police HQ and the Magistrate court. Moreover, that is a very busy area, close to the intersection of two major axes and can be considered the entrance of the Castlegate area.

The project talks about the nonconformism of modern theatre, creating a flexible space which can be used freely by its inhabitants in as many ways as the geometry of the terrain allows it. It is about who becomes actor and who spectator in public space, especially in a social environ-ment that expresses the need to listen and heard.

The chosen site is situated close to the Police Headquarters and to the Magistrate Court of Sheffield. A street theatre open to public use gives a perfect environment for those who want to be heard and those who need to listen and by its placement raises questions also for the authorities.

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main stage

balconystreet

open air stage

open air stage

deposit and vestiary

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The geometry follows the slope of the terrain. Thus the interior stage area will be situated in front of the Police Headquarters as a manifesto, and that side of the building will open to-wards an exterior stage. The ways of watching the show are as dynamic as the modern manifestations of street theatre itself. The main interior stage can be viewed from the street, in the most crowded point of the intersection, from inside, or from the ramp connecting the street level with the stage lower level. You can perceive the show while standing, sitting or simply moving (passing by).

While being a spectator for the unconventional show you also become an actor in the urban environment. Sitting places are provided inside as well as outside. A wall separates the pedestrian circulation from the main street used also by cars occasionally. Sequences of the activities from the other side of the wall can also be perceived from the service street near the site. Some of these ”windows” are seating areas, where the users are perceived as frames, hence become actors of a live painting.

The green roof also provides a non conventional stage area thanks to the slope it creates.

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Y4P1 2010

YEAR 4. PROJECT 1: Rediscovering Identity. 2011

...context

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Rediscovering IdentityGabroveni Inn Reconversion

location: Bucharest, Lipscani Old Centretutor : Udriste Scafa

type: Individual Project The building is situated in the old central area of Bucharest and is considered to be of great importance to the historical heritage of the city. However it is not abandoned and is found in a poor state. Moreover there is an unbuilt site on one side of the building itself.

The concept was to restore the identity and the physical con-cept of the building, which is the local commercial inn, a place organ-ised around an interior open patio with commercial use on the sides. The building will become a new point of interest for the entire old area being situated in a central position. It will incorporate new uses such as a gallery, library and art centre, museum and commercial spaces.

The facade follows the fragmented skyline line of the context but creates contrast.

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the church alveoliis the typology of most churches in the area.

the commercial innwith a public interior passage connecting two streets

the alveolicontaining an interior semi-private space for the inhabitants

housing typologyconsisting in narrow sites with few patios

Building typology: two wings board-ing a passageOne wing of the existent building col-lapsed. The intervention tries to restore its integrity and value the remaining original parts.

A sense of history gives identity and when talking about identity the scale and importance become complemen-tary: the historical centre gives identity to the city while singular buildings give value to the historical area.

The site not only talks about a such building, Hanul Gabroveni but also about its conflicted relation with the surroundings and the unbuilt forgotten environment that swallows it.problematic site insertion:

completing the former building and closing the patio

circulation and facade:creating a continuous circulation inside the building and integrating the facade

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Initial state of the building and the nearby area

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1850 - Borocczyn plan

2010 - present state

2010 - proposal

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On the Borocczyn map made in 1850 one can notice the original occupation of the nearby site as well as the facade of the building as it was first designed.

Following the character of the entire old centre of Bucharest, the corniche line is vibrated and forms an irregular profile.

The height of the buildings that were later demolished is lower than the one of the remaining Gabroveni Inn.

The present condition of the building is a critical. Due to low maintenance and the passage of time the state of the site shows a deserted construction ready to collapse at any moment. This is a sad sit-uation considering that the building rep-resents a valuable heritage site in the old centre of Bucharest.

Moreover, the area surrounding one side of the building is now demolished show-ing the side of a contemporary construc-tion.

The proposal is to reintegrate the Ga-broveni building into its context by recon-structing one side of the site keeping in mind the original geometry of facades.

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Relation between existing building fabricand intervention: a dynamic perception of the old remaining interior facade.

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2nd flooradministrative floor and offices

1st floor (antiquities/ history)book shopexhibition area (photography)tearoomantique shopcommercial gallery

ground floorart galleryworkshop roominfo / reception areascommercial gallery

underground floor Local archeology museum

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Y5UA 2011

YEAR 5. URBAN ANALYSIS: Magheru Boulevard. 2011

...people

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Magheru BoulevardUrban analysis

location: Bucharest,tutor : Udriste Scafatype: Group Project

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JPIN 2011

JUAN PEDRO DONAIRE ARQUITECTOS. Internship 2011

...work

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Aznalcazar single family housephoto montages

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Roquetas Justice CourtRenders and montages

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Palomares Elementary SchoolRenders and montages

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Centre of AccessibilitySketches and photo montages

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The End

“Art is never finished, only abandoned”

Leonardo da Vinci

Silvia Raluca Georgescuemail: georgescu_ralu@yahoo.commobile: 004(0)734586896