Tabula Scripta

The “Rulmentul” industrial platform stands today as a seemingly vacant space in the city, a tabula rasa for both passersby and locals. Yet beneath its surface lies a rich array of layers of history, etched into the concrete, bricks, and stones. Extraordinary structures that are now crumbled and forgotten, where nature quietly reclaims its place amidst the growing city. This so-called emptiness is, in truth, layered with meaning: a “tabula scripta,” defined by its history yet opened to future possibilities.

As a method, our exploration of the site draws inspiration from Piranesi’s Il Campo Marzio dell’ Antica Roma, with its approach to the past, present, and imagined future. Just as Piranesi reimagined 18th-century Rome as a collage of ancient and invented forms, free from formal limitations, we begin with the traces, ruins, and layers of this site—reassembling and reframing them into the fabric of a new city. All this, by keeping an eye on the material and cultural heritage, without letting the past restrain a ‘wilder’ vision for the future.

An intrinsic centrality

The industrial history of Brașov is well-known, but certain aspects have shaped our approach to the site and its significance in the city. Like many mid-19th-century factories in Romania, these industrial sites were initially built on the outskirts of the city, when industry was still small-scale. However, with the industrial boom of the early 20th century, factories drew in large numbers of rural workers, causing the city to sprawl outward. Over time, these once-peripheral sites became central enclaves surrounded by residential areas, losing their original, isolated, marginal character. Under communism, Brașov’s industrial expansion intensified with massive sites like Tractorul and Roman, forming an impenetrable industrial ring around the city. This created significant barriers to the city’s growth, especially with the natural limits already present in the southwest. As time passed, Rulmentul became surrounded by new developments, that are built today or planned to be built. The former industrial belt lays empty and abandoned, as a series of mega-voids in the city.

Rulmentul’s introverted character is highlighted by spontaneous vegetation that theatrically reveals glimpses of facades, towers, and overpasses. We believe any intervention here must respect this unique intrinsic character while carefully redistributing functions. At the urban scale, we propose transforming Brașov’s former industrial belt into a Northern Green Belt, turning these voids into active green spaces. This green belt would serve as a backbone for existing and future developments, integrating mobility and nature into the city’s fabric.

Every Space is a Habitat

“The gardener chooses not to intervene everywhere and all the time, leaving a large space for the unexpected, for chance, for spontaneous succession.”

In his book Tiers Paysage, Gilles Clement invites us to cultivate spaces of “non-action” at all levels of our lives, at a time when climatic and economic injunctions can seem contradictory to us.Instead of imposing strict control over the landscape, the gardener observes and guides the natural processes, embracing spontaneity and change. This philosophy is rooted in respect for the environment and the belief that nature can organize itself harmoniously and sustainably if left relatively undisturbed. Clément encourages us to observe and learn from nature’s processes rather than attempting to control or override them.

Having this in mind, our project does not propose an ideal garden, but an imperfect one, where the interstitial spaces, the cracks, the in-betweens acquire as strong a value as the architecture itself. Within this friction, the distinction between inside and outside, built industrial heritage and the natural landscapes is not visible nor relevant anymore. Every space becomes a habitat, every surface a support for new life, as a collection of pioneer landscapes, where natural and organic processes are given room (and time) to play their role in shaping the built environment. In fact we porpose different types of habitats, challenging the common conception of “natural” nature at times. We treat the site as a living ecosystem, in continuity with the existing, but always evolving, adapting and finding new ways of growing. Rather than presenting a finished project, we would like to accentuate the idea of the process.

Furthermore, we found that one of the most striking contrasts on “Rulmentul” industrial park is the juxtaposition between the outside, and inside (particularly the interior of the Turnery). Outside, the dense, spontaneous vegetation has developed a scenographic quality, framing dramatic views and lending the landscape a theatrical atmosphere. The vegetation acts almost as a filter, selectively revealing scenes and guiding the visitor’s gaze, creating the sense that it controls what is seen. In this way, it limits visibility, presenting curated images and showing visitors only what it chooses to reveal. However, inside the Turnery, we found a vast, never-ending, almost infinite space. Nature is infiltrating through cracks and abandoned machinery foundations. The slim metal pillars reveal everything; it is almost as if it wants you to come in and discover its extraordinary scale.

CONFIDENCE IN THE EXISTING

One of the most striking impressions upon entering the former forge is the exceptional height of the structure, coupled with the dramatic interplay of light and shadow that casts an almost mysterious atmosphere. Remnants of its industrial past—machines, overhead cranes, and bridges—stand silent, frozen in time. Beams of light filter through the hall, illuminating small “houses” within, creating pockets of warmth amidst the vastness. These structures alone, we felt, give the space a unique and powerful character. While the facade of the former I.A.R. Hangar holds historical value and will be carefully decluttered, we believe the two additional structures are equally significant, representing the era of the Rulmentul Factory.

With a sense of radical optimism, our approach is to celebrate what already exists, amplifying the unique qualities of these layers rather than replacing them. The cultural centre takes inspiration from the “houses” found on-site—small modular structures that offer flexibility and are placed within the former 6th hangar.