Parcul Albastro is an open urban space for educational and recreational activities for the Roma community in Fabric district, Timisouara. The project was developed during StudentFest Timisoara 2015 together with the local NGO In Comunitate.
The workshop took 7 days – 2 designing and 5 constructing, along with 10 students in architecture, design, informatics and many volunteers from and outside the local community. We revitalized an abandoned urban area in a Roma neighborhood, part of the historical area in the city.
We focused on the functions of implied in the park, its smartly detailed structure and the importance of teamwork during such an intensive process. The structure was entirely constructed by timber, using a wide range of different joints. It had no foundations, as it was temporary. The park as a facility, was a place for educational activities, recreation and managed to liven up the abandoned area. We succeeded to make a good example for resilient urban intervention thanks to the unconditional help of our volunteers, students and the local community – both kids and parents. Thanks to all!
The process…
The Fabric neighbourhood, the site, the community.
The site – the triangle of “Costache Negrucci”.
First visit to the site – a couple of hours after arrival in Timisoara.
Our working site.
The table for brainstorming, schemes and self-organization.
The workflowс.
Tracing and digging the beds for the base beams.
After the tracing we begin cutting the structural elements.
It was a lot of cutting, but we had a great team and really hardworking volunteers.
We used traditional techniques and tools.
We thought the kids how to work with wood.
Test assembly of the frame structure.
The base beams were covered with a layer of bitumen .
3rd day: we work on artifical light.
We finished the frame structure at dark.
Stabilizing the structure while having morning coffee.
The participants were mainly students – we did a lot of hand drawing and detailing on site.
Cutting the wooden sections for the future urban furniture.
The first seating spot is already shaping up.
The ladies from In Comunitate put their sewing skills in practice.
The sign was made by the kids.
The musical instrument in the park.
Everything is almost finished – we’re applying the joint detail at the braces.
Parcul Albastro lived for half an year – after the expiration of its placement permission, it was disassembled and its parts given away. A couple of families from the community used it as hard fuel to warm up their homes during the winter of 2015.