Galeria 1

The place and theme – a disused industrial site, not far from the historic center of Timisoara, across a major thoroughfare from the north. The large site was gradually converted to commercial use through sham conversions, typical for the 1990s, of the existing halls.

The appearance of the "Iulius Mall" (architect Radu Mihailescu) determined the investors, owners of the industrial site, to convert the main hall into a commercial center, of a special kind in Romania: a "design center" with a view to the center; that was supposed to offer ample show-room areas, perfectly equipped to exhibit furniture, decorations, design products reflecting the recent real estate boom.

The hall – initially meant for processing meat, offered 5,000 sqm on each storey. The uniform reinforced structure of 6x6 m – done in the 1970s – was severely damaged during a fire and due to the industrial processes it sheltered. The upper floor was compartmentalized so that the "cells" produced split-levels of 40 cm.

The solution complied with the chosen goal: to produce free areas for showrooms with state-of-the-art equipment considering the flawed structure. The hardly efficient structure was consolidated with carbon fiber strips to avoid the weight. Four big, rigid reinforced concrete tubes, sheltering the vertical circulation (staircase and elevators), utilities, and services – were distributed in the lateral bays, two by two, like the legs of a table, thus making the ensemble rigid without further interventions. Two ample voids, covered with skylights, were done on the upper floors; one of them contains the escalators; a fountain focuses the perception of the space. In the ample false ceiling, there is a massive "mattress" with installations and equipment for climatic control, all sorts of cables, power networks, light, security, and surveillance. The floor of the upper level was leveled with light concrete containing polystyrene aggregates, while the lateral brick closures were replaced by sandwich panels.

The bar code and night-lights: The lateral closures, pierced by numerous installations, were draped by a secondary façade of white-blue polycarbonate strips, graphically organized as an immense bar code – graphical symbol of commerce. The front façade – one that ensures the access – is "draped" in a huge red and black metal structure, shaped like a gigantic "Z" whose lower side makes the canopy above the entrance. The luminous letters of the logo "drift" on a large double net painted in matte black. By night, the entire ensemble turns into a big Japanese lantern, with the white-blue panels lit from behind and red letters floating like some self-contained hieroglyphs against the nocturnal sky, while their matte background dissolves in the dark.

TEAM

Andreescu and Gaivoronschi
associated architects

Piata Sfantu Gheorghe no 4, ap 10 Timisoara
tel +40 256 306042