By its activity, the staff in the department pursues the enhancement of the excellence level consecrated by tradition, contributing thus to the maintenance of the Romanian school’s elevated architectural education standards, and to fostering the cultural prestige of UAUIM.
Personalities who, over the years, have earned a certain national and international recognition, work within DITCP. Young members of the department, at the start of their career, already act as professionals apt to cover a wide range of concerns and to impart to students a love of culture much needed in the architectural trade, according to the contemporary outlook.
DITCP collaborates with a wide range of experts acknowledged in various domains: architecture, town planning and other disciplines like history of art, philosophy, sociology, geography, anthropology, history of religions, etc.
The department’s education and research programs often involve prestigious foreign schools, institutions and professional organizations such as the School of High Studies of Chaillot, the School of La Villette, CNRS, CISDU, etc.
Following efforts by members of the department, important contemporary theorists (Neil Leach, Joseph Rykwert, John Hancock, Jan Verweinen, Raoul Bunschoten, Pierre von Meiss, Kies Cristiansee, Paul de Vroom, etc.) have visited the school. Along the same line, students enjoy free admission to important conferences organized by the New Europe College of Bucharest (rector: Prof. Dr .Hon.Causa Andrei Plesu).
Getting students engaged in research projects and studies, awakening their interest for major problems of culture and of the contemporary society, particularly for the architectural phenomenon, represent constant concerns of the department.
Distinctions, awards, publications, and entries
Numerous distinctions, awards, publications, and entries in prestigious events express the significant accomplishments of DITCP and of its members nationally and internationally.
Prizes and awards
Nicolae Lascu, Ana Maria Zahariade, Augustin Ioan – various national prizes for publications; Ana Maria Zahariade – Herder Prize 2003, Augustin Ioan - Honorable Fullbright Fellow -2003, Honoris Causa in Theology, CTOS, 2007, Sergiu Nistor - Legion of Honor of the French Government
Functions and affiliations
The members of the Desk have worked and continue to work in or even head various state bodies in the field of monument protection (Gh. Curinschi-Vorona, Sanda Voiculescu, Sergiu Nistor, Nicolae Lascu, Anca Bratuleanu, Ana Maria Zahariade, Hanna Derer, Adrian Craciunescu) or are involved in the activity of various international and national professional forums (Ana Maria Zahariade, Nicolae Lascu, Anca Bratuleanu, Sergiu Nistor).
Sitting on juries of international architecture competitions
Ana-Maria Zahariade (Marble Architecture awards, Carrara/Italy, 2000; the Great Museum of Egypt, 2002. the Holocaust Memorial, 2006), Anca Bratuleanu (the Architecture Biennial, Bucharest, 2002, IUA Contest - Isola del Fiume, Italy, 2004 ; IUA Contest Performing Arts Centre, Seul, 2005 ; IUA Contest - Prehistory Museum Seul, 2006 ; Memorial of the Heroes of the Nation, Bucharest 2006).
Research and Scholarship Grants
- individual: Getty and Getty-NEC (Anca Bratuleanu, Ana Maria Zahariade, Mihaela Criticos, Celia Ghyka), Fullbright (Augustin Ioan, Magda Teodorescu), Soros (Nicolae Lascu, Anca Bratuleanu, Mihaela Criticos), NEC (Augustin Ioan, Hanna Derer), DAAD + the Italian Foreign Ministry (Hanna Derer), Herder (Radu Ponta), “Vasile Parvan” (Irina Bancescu).
- collective: CNCSIS grants: Circulation of mutual cultural influences between the Romanians and Saxons in southeastern Transylvania as mirrored in the vernacular architecture and the contemporary evolution of villages in Sibiu and Brasov counties (coord. Anca Bratuleanu) ; Post-war Romanian Architecture – Repressed histories; ARHITECTURA magazine as a source of postwar architecture (coord. Ana-Maria Zahariade); Industrial heritage of mountain Banat – European asset and integration potential (coord. Hanna Derer); Sacred architecture today – a retro-futuristic and ecumenical prospect (coord. Augustin Ioan); Rehabilitation of collective dwelling in Romania: research on finding solutions to improv the quality of habitation in keeping with the principles of lasting development (coord. Ana-Maria Zahariade); Art, urban communities, mobilization (ACUM) – Social reinsertion of the artistic and architectural project – (consortium - coord. Ana-Maria Zahariade); Modern – modernity in Romania.
Research projects
- PUZ – the historic center area of Bucharest – stage I/2002, stage II/2003 (coord. Nicolae Lascu)
- Feasibility study regarding distance education in the continuous training of the actors involved in the recovery of the architectural heritage abandoned in the 19th and 20th centuries, project within the Leonardo da Vinci program, with partners from Italy, France, Belgium, Portugal, and Romania; in charge on behalf of UAUIM, Nicolae Lascu; 2003–2005
- Historical research in the central area of Bucharest (the Icoanei area), within the Protocol between the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Housing and the Ministry of Culture of France, 2002-2003
- Definition of the technical status of constructions subject to licensing in protected areas, a study financed by the City Hall of Bucharest Municipality, 2005-2006 (coord. Anca Bratuleanu)
- Edification des lieux et paysages, with the program Intensive Project Socrates (the only project accepted from Romania), 2006-2008, coord. Ana-Maria Zahariade and Celia Ghyka
Publications
- scientific papers and articles contributed to numerous Romanian and foreign cultural publications
- coordination of specialized magazines (Anca Bratuleanu, Augustin Ioan, Nicolae Lascu, Ana Maria Zahariade)
- books published in the country (Ana-Maria Zahariade, Anca Bratuleanu, Nicolae Lascu, Augustin Ioan, Hanna Derer, Mihaela Criticos, Sergiu Nistor, Magda Teodorescu) and abroad (Ana Maria Zahariade, Anca Bratuleanu, Nicolae Lascu, Augustin Ioan)
Exhibitions
- Spazi aperti, Roma, Accademia di Romania, 2005 (org. Irina Bancescu, together with fine artists)
- On modernism. An escape from anonymity: Bucharest inter-war entry, UAUIM, 2005 (coord. Nae Lascu, Hanna Derer)
- Blocuire (Bliving), UAUIM, 2005 (coord. Celia Ghyka, Catalin Berescu)
- Marcel Iancu @ today.com, New York, 2002 (org. Augustin Ioan)
- Little Paris – Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest, Dalles Hall, 2006 (org. Mihaela Criticos)
- Romanian Pavilion at the Venice Biennial (1996,2000, 2006)
Workshops and Academic Exchanges
- The individual program Socrates of course exchanges and academic expertise, with trips to Paris organized for Romanian students – Ana-Maria Zahariade and Ecole d’Arhitecture Paris-La Villette
- Romanian-Austrian Workshop on the topic Architecture as a Symbol – coord. Hanna Derer (2005)
Symposia and Colloquia
- organized by DITCP members : International Symposium Genius Loci, Bucharest, 2000 (Anca Bratuleanu) ; Heritage in Jeopardy, seminar, Mogosoaia Cultural Center, 2002 (Sergiu Nistor) ; International seminar Ion Mincu – 150 Years from His Birth, Cotroceni Palace, 2002 (Nicolae Lascu)
- frequent participation in national and international symposia
Prizes and activities of the Desk for students
- The GRIGORE IONESCU prize for the best restoration project - in 1998
- The SANDA VOICULESCU Prize for the best student research work in the history and conservation of the heritage – in 2003
- for students who choose specialization in heritage conservation - collaboration with various schools and international organizations, study trips abroad, international workshops, participation in contests, etc.