URBAN SYNAPSE.
urban planning office
Zonal Urban Planning Project for the historical center of Făgăraș
The limits of this historic city center of Făgăraș needed to be defined in order to beter identify the requirements needed for the development of this area, with the focal point being the Făgăraș Citadel, a listed historical monument of national interest.
This central area contains many architectural and urban heritage elements that can be a direct part of the revitalisation process proposed for this area. It can also host the touristic and recreational activities that are suited for this type of historical center.
A multicriterial analysis has generated the boundaries of the central area, that overlaps with the protected historical center, which is the main development core of the city.
The area consists of the historical plot system that has been preserved, the old street system, heritage buildings, but it also contains areas with more recent urban and architectural interventions from the communist period and after that, interventions that have a very big impact on the image of the historic city center. These areas need to be revitalised, in order to reduce the negative influence they have on the historic area.
The urban fabric of this area has a mixed character, with different types of land use, generated by the overlapped historical interventions on the urban system within a log period of time. It has great value, because of the historical street system, plot system, and heritage buildings, whether they’re listed or not.
The areas with the highest concentration of heritage buildings are: Republic Square with the outlining building fronts, Doamna Stanca street, the western building front adjacent to the Citadel, and Ion Codru Drăgușanu street. These areas, along with the buildings surrounding the Citadel, are proposed for conservation and revitalisation.
The area also contains several modern architecture buildings, with a neutral aesthetic impact on the area, which need facade rehabilitations in order to fit within the general proposed image.
he plot system was analyzed with the purpose of identifying the functional structure of the center and the areas that need to be preserved, and also in order to generate regulations and solutions of resolving the existing conflicts between different types of urban fabric. we also wanted to determine the areas where it is possible to restructure the plot system, without affecting the overall historical character of the center.
The plot system is very diverse, mostly because of the communist-period interventions from before ‘89.
Thus, within our area of interest, we can find historical plots dating back to the XIVth century, but also areas occupied by collective housing that was built in the second half of the XXth century, leading to the destruction of cultural, architectural and urban historical assets.
The historical plot system has developed in a spontaneous manner, mainly consisting of narrow and deep plots, with a high density of constructions with a street alignment that generally form continuous building fronts.
The unique character of the plot system was partially destroyed by communist interventions, affecting not just the plots that were wiped out, but also the surrounding historical plots, that were now exposed , and in a deficcient relationship with the new collective housing, wide boulevards and vast parking areas.
The project analyzed multiple features of the site, including plot characteristics, street system, buildings, public spaces, green spaces, and defined a set of regulations that are meant to ensure the continuity and improvement of the general aspects in the historic center. The main objective of this project was that of protecting, preserving, and encouraging the restoration/rehabilitation of the existing built heritage, according to the principles and regulations defined in the Local Urban Planning Regulations and the current laws regarding this type of project.
We have to mention that the built heritage from the historic center is not only represented by the listed historical monuments, but also by the buildings that are not listed but have great historical, memorial and aesthetical value, by other surrounding buildings, the plot system, the existing or proposed public spaces (squares, plazas, parks).
Project name/ Zonal Urban Planning Project for the historical center of Făgăraș
project location/ Făgăraș city, Brașov county
project type/ Zonal Urban Planning Project
size/ 45 ha
year/ 2014
client/ Făgăraș city
offices/ Urban Synapse, General Game
project team/
urb. Damian Alexandru Ioan
urb. Damian Laura
arh. Sabău Tătar Mircea
ist. dr. Băltean Ion C.
ist. dr. Sana V. Daniel
drd. urb. peis. Opriș Ana
arh. Bulgaru Oana
ing. Cipleu Victor