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History, Heritage & Regeneration in Eastern Europe September 2007, Sibiu - Transylvania, Romania English  ¦   Româna
Sibiu - Transylvania, Piata Mare

Quick links
The INTBAU Sibiu Memorandum
Download the Sibiu Memorandum (PDF, 44kB)
The History, Heritage, Regeneration conference

INTBAU Romania organised a major conference on Central and Eastern European heritage from 23 - 25 September in the city of Sibiu, one of the two Cultural Capitals of Europe in 2007.   The conference aimed to examine the challenges faced by the emerging economies of the former Eastern bloc in the field of heritage and preservation of traditional places.

Under communism, traditional architecture was almost entirely abandoned in Central and Eastern Europe in favour of the now infamous model of blocks of flats. Furthermore, beautiful classical buildings were demolished only to clear the ground for modernistic developments which fit the image of the "multilateral developed society" promoted by the communist regime.   However, a number of World Heritage Sites throughout Central and Eastern Europe have survived communism.

The countries behind the "iron curtain" re-gained their freedom and returned to democracy after 1990.   Most of the economies of Central and Eastern Europe are booming due to structural economic reforms and massive investments.   However a number of places of heritage are still under threat because of the economic pressures to erect new buildings, often out of context in traditional environments and even protected areas.

INTBAU's conference brought together strong voices from Romania and elsewhere in an effort to reinforce traditional architecture and urban design in Central and Eastern Europe.   The event presented case studies of urban planning, housing design and heritage preservation from the region.

Conference Report

The conference produced the INTBAU Sibiu Memorandum on the protection of heritage and traditional places.   The aim of the INTBAU Sibiu Memorandum is to produce a set of guidelines meant to encourage good practice and adequate protection of the architectural heritage of Central and Eastern Europe.

The Patron of INTBAU, The Prince of Wales sent a message to the conference stating: "The recent history of this part of the World is still under debate. But we do know for certain that during the years of communism entire neighbourhoods - thousands of old classical buildings and heritage monuments - were destroyed".

The INTBAU conference looked back at the recent history of the built environment of Central & Eastern Europe and also looked forward to best way to preserve the heritage of the area and produce sustainable buildings in the future. A number of participants spoke of the threats posed by modernistic developments within historic areas.

The papers presented to the INTBAU conference "History, Heritage & Regeneration" are listed below in PDF and PowerPoint format. The copy-right belongs to the authors and papers cannot be used without prior authorisation from the authors. The papers are listed in the same order they were presented.

Papers presented
at the "History, Heritage & Regeneration" conference

  • Message from His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales - PDF

    Opening session

  • Robert Adam, INTBAU International Chair, United Kingdom - Global and Local Architecture & Urbanism since the End of the Cold War - PDF
  • Dennis G Rodwell, architect-planner, cultural heritage consultant, United Kingdom - Central and Eastern Europe: Conservation Overview - PowerPoint

    Session 2 - Heritage & urban planning behind the "Iron Curtain"

  • Dan Dimancescu, Romania/USA - Romanian Urban Development in 1968: A case example of Bucharest - PDF
  • Ioana Marinescu, Romania - Off the Map. In Bucharest - FILM
  • Allan Struss, Estonia - Urban planning in Estonia since 1940 on the examples of Tallinn and Narva - PDF
  • Dr Juliana Maxim, Romania - Something old, something new: the vernacular and the modern in socialist architecture, Romania, 1955 - 1965 - PowerPoint

    Session 3: Modernistic developments within historic areas

  • Terence Milstead, USA/Lithuania - Global Culture, Heritage Preservation and Residents' Home Improvement Behaviors in Vilnius, Lithuania - PowerPoint
  • Dorin Boila, Romania - Shopping Mall Project in the Protected Medieval Part of Sibiu, Romania - PDF
  • Terje Nypan, Norway - Safeguarding the Saxon Heritage in Transylvania. The PREM project - PowerPoint
  • Anton Glikin, Russia/USA - Completing the City of St Petersburg - PDF

    Session 4 - Teaching traditional architecture & urbanism

  • Dr Aylin Orbasli & Marcel Vellinga, United Kingdom - Teaching architectural regeneration: a multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural approach - PowerPoint
  • Alina & Tom Hughes, Romania/United Kingdom - Teaching Architectural History & Theory - a working model - PDF
  • Magdalena Prosinska, Poland - Open Gardens. An alternative scheme for preservation and sustainable development of Polish garden-cities' heritage - PowerPoint

    Session 5: Regeneration & protection of historic areas

  • Alina & Tom Hughes, Romania/UK - Involving the local population: a case study of a restoration and regeneration project in Transylvania's Saxon villages - PDF
  • Dr Prof Karine Dupre & Pasi Virtamo, Finland - On the other side of the Iron Curtain, slowly killing a potential World Heritage Site: Case of urban regeneration of Pispala, Finland - PowerPoint
  • Dan Ghelase, Romania - Bucharest's Grand Parks, National and European Heritage Assets: Contributions Towards Identity Renewal as an Urban Regeneration Project - PDF

    Session 6: Construction & reconstruction

  • Bojana Karavidic, Serbia - Cultural/Architectural Heritage in the Jaws of Money - PDF
  • Olav Bjerve - Masterplanning in the Saxon villages of Transylvania - FILM
  • Jana Brink, USA - Building for the Bayash - PDF

    Session 7: Traditional environments under threat

  • Mrs. Bernadeta Marta Schafer, Germany - Change Of Image: Destruction of the landscape in the traditional villages of the Swietokrzyski region in Poland - PDF
  • Andreea Simona Chifan, Romania - Is the Romanian state interested in protecting its heritage? The Rosia Montana case - PDF
  • Arne Sødal, Norway - Landscape Protection and Urban Regeneration in Bran, Romania - PowerPoint
  • Hans Hedrich, Romania - The city is dead! Long live the city!

    Academic Committee (in alphabetical order)

    • Dr Iuliana Ciotoiu, National Village Museum of Bucharest, Romania
    • Dr Hanna Derer, Professor, Ion Mincu Institute of Architecture, Romania
    • Anton Glikin, Architect, USA / Russia
    • Dr Matthew Hardy, Secretary INTBAU, United Kingdom / Australia
    • Prof. Harald Kegler, Germany
    • Dr Kazmer Kovacs, Romania
    • Susan Parham, Chair Council for European Urbanism, United Kingdom / Australia
    • Allan Strus, Architect, Estonia
    • Prof Dr Hab Bogusaw Szmygin, Vice-President of ICOMOS Poland

    Conference Venue

    Thalia

    The conference took place at the Thalia Theatre - which serves as headquarters of the Sibiu Philharmonics.   Thalia was built in 1787 by Martin Hochmeister who also opened the first Book Shop of Romania.

    The Thalia Theatre is a listed building and among its features are two balconies and a royal box from where the Governor of Transylvania used to enjoy performances.
    Image: Thalia Theatre interior

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