Conf. Dr. Arch. BOGDAN TOFAN’s Workshop
Group 22A
Task: ARRANGING THE PUBLIC SPACE IN FRONT OF THE ROMANIAN OPERA HOUSE In a central public space like the one in front of the Romanian Opera House of Bucharest, it is desirable that the city’s residents should be able to connect to the atmosphere of the performances taking place here. The architect must have a deep knowledge of the subject, the location and the atmosphere of the performances and suggest a solution that should be functional, have a high artistic mien and naturally fit the surrounding architecture and urban landscape. The placement site proposed for this exercise borders the course of the Dâmboviţa River and the Opera Park. The students are required to analyze an urban space and understand its value, in this case the space in front of the Romanian Opera House, and to propose a certain composition/scenario/course, which should emphasize the main symbol of the site – the Opera House. The places meant for advertisements and announcements for shows in the public space are to be conceived in such a way as not to diminish the quality of the existing architecture, but to blend as naturally as possible with the environment. Location: The study zone is, according to the plan attached, the area of about 3,000 square metres in front of the Opera House building. Teaching objectives: • analysis of the site circumstances: natural and architectural context, stylistic aspects, significance, etc; • proposal for an architectural approach, adequate to the contemporary age, specifying dimensions and the scales corresponding to the purpose and the utilization of spaces; • achieving a centre of interest from the point of view of the public, with an emphasis on the cultural-informational and educational significance, as well as on socializing, entertainment, relaxation, etc. Requirements: Suggested spaces: • small art gallery; • exhibition for scenography elements, costumes, photographs from opera performances; • area of public and/or individual audition for opera music; • bar-café-teahouse, sanitation arrangements; • amphitheatre area (seating tiers) as a place for resting, discussions, entertainment, etc. Depending on the general composition, the students shall make up a concrete plan of the various functions and spaces, specifying the corresponding areas, with the possibility of designing other spaces as well.
The structure and construction materials shall be chosen in such a way as not to aggress the existing image of the area, to create an overall transparent visual representation that should highlight the significance of the place. Assessment criteria: • usage of the available land space; • categories of spaces, means of composition; • volumetric composition, overall image, innovation, novelty, significance; • integration in the urban space; • quality of final project editing. Presentation: The students shall use 50/70 cm white sheets of paper, horizontally oriented, and shall draw the following elements, using a technique of their own choice, in water colours or crayons, with obligatory cross-hatching: • situational plan – scale 1/200; • furnished level plans – scale 1/100; • 3 detailed sections characteristic to the overall ensemble – scale 1/100; • overall model and the models for individual spaces integrated in the overall model – scale 1/100; • individual elements: plans, sections, facades for one object – scale 1/50. The projects shall also be handed in using PDF and jpg scanned formats on CDs, so as they could be presented in PowerPoint for assessment. Each student is required to check, on the preceding day, that the slide-show works properly. Bibliography • Architecture of the ensemble Lincoln Center – Metropolitan Opera in New York; • Antonio Gaudi, Guel Park (the terrace over Barcelona); • Peter Zumthor, Thinking Architecture, Birkhauser ISBN 978-3-7643-7497-6; • MVRDV – Opere e progetti 1991-2006 – Michele Constanzo, Skira 2006; • Phillip Jododio, Alvaro Siza, Taschen ISBN 3-8228-3012; • Silvio Cassara, Richard Meier: Opere recenti, Skira 2004; • Claire Zimmerman, Mies van der Rohe 1886-1969, La struttura dello Spazio, Taschen ISBN 978-3-8228-2685-0; • Antonio Franzina, Andrea Palladio: Le ville, Touring Club Italiano 2002; • Jürgen Habermas, L’espace publique; • Architectural reviews: ARCHITECTURAL RECORD 2/2003, 1, 2, 7, 12/2005; DOMUS, no 809; L’ARCHITECTURE D’AUJOURD’HUI 326, 329; CASABELLA 530, 536; EL CROQUIS, A+U, DETAILS; L’ARCA June 2004; ARQUITECTONICS no 1-7