Events
the 5 O’Clock Arhitext round tables
“5 O’Clock Arhitext” opens the series of round table debates coordinated by specialists in the field of architecture or in related fields, aiming to become a basis of specialized debates on current architectural topics. The Arhitext design Foundation wished to outline the image of such concept by organizing at least two round tables a year that would share an original, topical subject, as well as the starting time, i.e. 5 o’clock, the traditional time for serving tea. The tea theme underlines the relaxed atmosphere in which the discussions are to be held. Several national tea-serving traditions will be included (the Japanese, the Russian, the English), as well as other customs associated with tea-serving over time.
The first round table from the “5 O’Clock Arhitext” series was organized in December 2007, under the theme “Virtual Mobility”. The themes brought to the public attention in 2008 were “Arrhythmia and E-Proportions” (in February) and “The Architecture of Two Landmark Cities: Vienna and Prague” (in June). Other round tables had themes such as “Negotiated Architectures”, “Fashion Architecture”, “The Urban Public Space”.
The 5 o’clock round tables were attended by important personalities from fields as diverse as architecture, sociology, philosophy, art, psychology etc. The debates are appreciated by the public and considered interesting also because of their topical themes, approached from an interdisciplinary perspective.
Assemblages space/sound/movement/image, 5-7 september 2008, DealuL Frumos
The experiment proposed by Arhitext starts from the “assemblage” concept launched by philosopher Gilles Deleuze, which it explores by inter-relating several “objects” such as space (architecture), sound (music), image (film) in an open and continuous process of “deterritorialization/reterritorialization” inside the fortified church at Dealu Frumos, Sibiu. In the computerized society of our days and in the midst of a highly globalized economy in which local (national, regional) cultures are beginning to lose their identity, the effective and concrete participation to the contemporary debate regarding the role/meaning/definition of arts in general, of architecture, music, dance, film in particular is perceived as more than a need, becoming a survival modality in its own right.
The first edition of this event was very well received by the public especially because it stood for a unique approach to architecture (space), music (sound) and film (image).
Assemblages II-thresholds 16-18 July 2010, Dealu Frumos, Sibiu
The second edition set out to assemble the space with the music and the image, this time regarded in relation to the “threshold” concept. The outcome was once again spectacular; a unique atmosphere was created. We had architecture (debates and round tables), music (jazz concerts – the Sound choir, Stefana Molnar (flute) and Stefan Ciobănete (DJ) and image (film projections).
Re-Start Arhitext – 25-26 july 2009, Dealu Frumos
A moment to exhale and another to inhale. Then again, a new start.
The project undertaken by us, back and forth, at Dealul Frumos, wanted to be a moment of reflection on what happened or failed to happen over the years elapsed from the onset of this millennium, which troubled not only the economic and social life, but also the cultural one. It particularly wanted to represent a moment of intro/prospection over what we wish to happen or suspect might happen from now on.
The event marked the publication of issue 200 of Arhitext magazine.
Arhitext RE-action: ARHITEXTURI, 11-23 may 2010, Bucharest
Arhitexturi represented one of the amplest and most courageous events organized by the Arhitext design Foundation. The event took place throughout 2 weeks, and consisted of seven exhibitions, four book launching events, three round tables and an essay competition for students.
The event was organized on the occasion of the anniversary of 20 years of activity of the Arhitext Foundation, and was attended by our main collaborators Sandu Alexandru, Bogdan Ghiu, Vlad Gaivoronschi, Ioan Andreescu, Mario Kuibuş, Radu Mihăilescu, Vlad Arsene, Mihai Pienescu, Marica Solomon, Sabin Borş, Ana Maria Zahariade, Adrian Mihalache and so on.
Arhitext design prizes
It has already become a festival with tradition, well-known and highly appreciated by Romanian and foreign architects, urban planners and landscape artists, which promotes, appreciates and awards prizes for quality Romanian architectural projects. Arhitext Design Foundation came with the proposal for such an event after a careful examination of the architectural and artistic field and after realizing the need to modify, accentuate and shape certain tendencies in the contemporary Romanian space.
Starting from 1993, Arhitext design has organized the architecture competition Arhitext Design Prizes (PAD), event bringing a significant contribution to the assertion and confirmation of the value of local architecture. From 2005, this event has been integrated in an ampler event also containing, in addition to the Arhitext Design prizes, several theme exhibitions and debates on a specific concept that has in fact lent its name to the Festivals organized by Arhitext so far.
I. In Between Festival, 8-9 October 2005, Sibiu
InBetween coincided with the VIIth edition of the PAD and proposed, concurrently with the abandonment of the fixed location Bucharest and of the option for an “alternative center”, the firmer integration of architecture in the cultural discourse.
InBetween was conceived as a challenge of present realities. The concept defines both the state of hybridization felt in the cultural zones it investigates and a permanent vacillation between a cut and paste process and a redo and copy one. In Between appears, in this case, as a polemical construct reflecting the perpetually neo-modern principles governing the cultural space, as well as the select and convert auctorial intrusions.
The festival was attended by a large number of people and enjoyed the support of the media. It also attracted positive appreciations from the architects and the attending public, representing an important debut for the other Arhitext Festivals.
II. The INside/INsight Cultures /// INtre/INtru Culturi Festival (Romanian architecture in the European cultural context), 4-7 October 2007, Sibiu, Alba Iulia, Dealu Frumos
The 2007 VIIIth edition of the Arhitext Design awards was held in Sibiu, the cultural capital of Europe in 2007, as part of the special cultural ambiance which accompanied the event, developing and summarizing the premises initiated by In Between. The VIIIth edition of the Prizes was part of an ampler event organized by the Foundation, namely Între/Întru Culturi // INside/INsight Cultures; The event lasted three days and a night, between 5 and 7 October 2007; the actions presented and discussed primarily targeted the multicultural communication of architecture, the open and unrestricted approach to the architectural endeavor.
The presence of an impressive number of people, the atmosphere created throughout the three days and the guests turned this event into a real success and bestowed prestige upon the Foundation.
III. Festivalul Tropisme, 9-11 octombrie 2009, Cluj
The Arhitext Festival Tropisms enjoyed the same success as the other editions. For Tropisms, the starting point was the need to re-contextualize the term “tropism” in the space of architecture and urban planning. For this reason, we wanted the events pertaining to the Festival to take place in unconventional spaces such as open pedestrian alleys, a route connecting several city squares (Libertăţii and Eroilor squares), piazzas (Universităţii square, Matei Corvin house), open spaces (the Firemen’s Tower), yards (of the Matei Corvin house, of Continental Hotel and of the Banffy Palace), galleries (Banffy Palace) and pedestrian passageways (of the puppet theatre and the Libertăţii square passageway) in the center of the city.
Throughout the three days, we managed to lend the city of Cluj a more colorful appearance and to mark a new edition of the Arhitext design Prizes (IXth edition).
