Image by Aura Neag
INTBAU Scandinavia is pleased to announce a one week workshop in traditional methods of masonry. The event will take place in the Saxon area of Transylvania, settled in mediaeval times.
The architecture is rich and encapsulates the old methods of building, based primarily on lime burning, bricks and wood.
The course is suited for architects, architecture students and antiquarians who wish to learn more about traditional masonry, and for craftsmen who would like to expand their skills within protection and restoration of old brick buildings.
The workshop will combine lectures on traditional materials and architecture with masonry practice on a selected site. The participants will work at one of the biggest houses - known as the house number 344 - of the Saxon village of Laslea, which is being restored at the moment. The exterior restoration is nearly complete but work remains to be done to the interior. The premises is designed to be a future Information and Training Centre, open to charities promoting heritage preservation, traditional building, ecotourism and organic farming in Transylvania.
Work on selected site
House 344, a fine large house with attached barns and stables, played a central role in the community's life in the last century, having been both a shop and a primary school over the years. Since its establishment in the 13th century, the villages follow a mediaeval pattern with long narrow plots running off a single spine street. Village houses similarly follow a standard layout, built against the northern plot boundary with all openings facing south.
House 344 is one of the biggest houses in the village, located close to the Town Hall, on the main street. Its original "Saxon" (German speaking) owners left Romania after 1989 and the house became public property over a decade ago. Following almost total neglect, the property was, by the time INTBAU came across it in 2003, in a very poor state indeed. The restoration started in September 2005 with the help of The Mihai Eminescu Trust, which specialises in heritage restoration in Transylvania.
The exterior of the 344 house of Laslea is completed restored now but more work remains to be done to complete the interior restoration.
Master Craftsman
The Norwegian master craftsman Øyvind Eikvam will introduce the participants to the specific features of the Saxon architecture and restoration rules. He will present house 344 as a study case and will explain the special masonry techniques used in consolidation work.
Supporting partner
The workshop is sponsored by EDUAC, (Educational Dissemination and Valorisation within Urbanism, Architecture and Crafts). EDUAC is an educational project funded by the European Union "Lifelong Learning Programmme" (LLP).
EDUAC is funded by
Program
The workshop will take place from the 18th to the 25th of October, and will cover the following issues:
Safety when working with lime, brick and old masonry techniques
Traditional building techniques in the Saxon villages
Choice of mortar, quality and definitions; lime paint
Preperation of lime mortar
The use of lime in historical and present time
Practical work in house 344
Load bearing brick walls.
In addition to practice and theory, the program will include a guided tour to Viscri and Sighisoara (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites).
A detailed program will be announced, but the structure of the program will be:
Saturday 18: Travel to Laslea, for example by night train from Budapest.
Sunday 19: Accommodation in the Laslea guesthouse. Guided tour of Laslea, Viscri and Sighisoara. We will take a closer look at the medieval architecture. Please note that all participants should be in Laslea Sunday morning to join the tour.
Monday 20: First day of the course. Lecture and practical work.
Tuesday 21: Lecture and practical work.
Wednesday 22: Lecture and practical work. Excursion.
Thursday 23: Lecture and practical work.
Friday 24: Lecture and practical work.
Saturday 25: Practical work. Conclusion of the workshop: results, feedback. Departure, for example by night train to Budapest.
Speakers
Øivind Eikvam, Norwegian craftsman
Arne Sødal, Norwegian architect
Audun Engh, Norwegian project manager
Accomodation
We will stay in a local guesthouse in Laslea, close to our building site. We have been using this guesthouse for our previous workshops, and the accomodation includes three meals a day. Accomodation will be in shared and single rooms.
For participants who wish a higher standarda hotel is located four kilometers from Laslea, with single rooms available. Please contact the organisers if you would like to book a room.
How to get there
For foreign visitors there are three convenient ways of getting to Laslea. Laslea is situated close to Sighisoara, which is linked by train to Bucharest (capital of Romania) and Budapest (capital of Hungary). Most European airlines have both Bucharest and Budapest among their destinations, and prices vary. From Bucharest one can take the daytime train, it is about 4 - 5 hours. From Budapest one can take the night train, which leaves Budapest about 10 in the evening and arrives in Sighisoara the next morning. The train Budapest-Sighisoara costs about 80- 100 euro. A third alternative is to take low-coast airline WizzAir from various European airports to Cluj and Tirgu Mures in Transylvania. From these cities there are a few trains daily to Sighisoara, it is about 4 - 5 hours. To get from Sighisoara to Laslea is best accomplished with a relatively inexpensive local taxi. For further information, please contact the organisers.
Fees
The fee for the course will be 200 euro.
The fee covers shared accomodation in the local guest house as described above, all meals, tuition and local transport. Hotel accomodation can be arranged at additional cost. Please note that travel to and from Laslea is not included in the participation fee.
Please note that INTBAU Scandinavia cannot provide supporting documents for visa applications. For further details on Romanian visas please contact the Romanian embassy or visit the website of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Scholarships
A limited number of student scholarships (for accomodation and meals in Laslea) are available. Please apply to the organizers, with information about your studies.
INTBAU UK is a registered Charity no. 1103068