Graduation projects
The fate of a depot. Conversion railway site. Petrosani
Project description
Location – (valley layer) The site is located in the town of Petrosani, in Jiu Valley, Romania. Location – (In the city) The site is located at the Locomotives Depot in Petrosani, on the north part of the city, near the train station. Choosing this site has a symbolic reason because it represents the reference point of the Jiu Valley. From this point, wagons loaded with coal were leaving the valley in order to supply with The Austro-Hungarian Empire (in that period of time, the Jiu Valley belonged to The Austro-Hungarian Empire). The Jiu Valley was, not very long ago, one of the biggest industrial centres in Transylvania and still represents, the biggest coal field in Romania. Thus, the city of Petrosani may be considered an industrial context due to the existence of the coal mines and the railway buildings. The depot, built in 1912, was important for the neighbourhood/city/valley. The proposal takes into account an interactive museum space with mine and railway theme. At the same time, it will have workshops and preservation laboratories for the locomotives belonging to the industry inheritance, as well as a turistic itinerary on the former railways in the Jiu Valley. The existing buildings beside the depot will host administrative activities and will have a parking spot for the staff. The 2 new buildings are bulit as a lobby for receptions, tickets, info points, bars, relaxing. The buildings will be connected by a natural park created along the railways with expositional spaces in open air. Another park have a railway theme with expozitional locomotives and wagons with different functions such as: bistro, restaurant, play room, gardens. Inside the depot, there are expozitional locomotives, cinema, libraries, bistros, bars and workshops, all open for everyone. The depot will become the main piece that will host different types of activities. The exhibition route begins under the underground passage, gets in the depot with the wagoons on the rotative platform and it ends going back by small wagons. In the underground, a tunnel with interpreted mine galaries recreates the mine atmosphere. The itinerary is concieved to be flexible.The planimetry on the site led me to follow the directions of the railways and the perspectives generated by the depot’s yard.
Author's presentation text
During my studies I have collaborated in a high number of projects regarding architecture, interior design and urban planning and design. Furthermore, I have work experience in several related areas such as furniture design, conservation and restoration, ice sculptures and the design of the ice chambers at the Hotel of Ice in Romania. I have participated in several design competitions and had positive results.
