Graduation projects

Horezu Ceramic Museum

Principal author

Șodolescu Andra

Collaborators (team members)

Arh. Ivănescu Emil Ing. Coman Mădălin

Project year

2018

Location

București

Learning institution

Universitatea de Arhitectură și Urbanism ,,Ion Mincu”

Project description

The Ceramic Museum is located near the scenic town of Horezu, a place known as the cultural capital of Romanian ceramics, located near the historical road that linked Bucharest to Timisoara. Its ceramic craft is included in the Unesco Heritage patrimony. The project’s lot is close to the city, standing on the hill where the pottery clay is extracted, next to the road that leads to the Monastery and to the city’s center. The lot has a scenic quality, placed at the threshold between city and nature, opening new perspectives towards them and revealing the link between landscape and identity. The concept is inspired from the borrows the potters make to gather the clay, a process similar to the archeological excavations that gradually unearth the layers of history. The project follows the lines of the terrain and is carried out in the same way a field is plowed before being planted. The four volumes will be connected by burrows underneath the ground, reminiscent of the underground huts of vernacular architecture. Access to the museum is marked by a tower, and the entrance itself is carved into the ground through a narrow courtyard. Thus, the visitors have to descend into the ground to see the exhibitions. The space between the four volumes is highlighted by small niches in the walls that accommodate various functions, from exhibitions to sitting places, and even a fountain. The geometry of the volumes stands in contrast with the topography of the terrain, and the green circular roof dominates the exterior, preserving the continuity of the landscape that envelops it. The walls are made from the field's unearthed ground that will erode over time, giving the building a timeless feature. Famous for its ceramics, landscape and the perpetuation of traditions, the city has a lot of qualities which the project seeks to enhance. It will help promote the area and attract tourists for the economic and cultural development of the city. It will reveal to the people the art of pottery, in order to teach them about craftsmanship so that they can discern between local and counterfeit products and also highlight the link between the artist and his creation. By teaching children about local traditions and values it will increase their interest in the development of a career in the area, which lacks apprentices to continue the heritage. Beyond its monographic dimension, it intends to become a place where one will discover the techniques and mainsprings of artistic creation.

Text description of the author

Andra Șodolescu studied architecture at the ,,Ion Mincu" University of architecture and Urbanism between 2012 and 2018. The diploma project presented won the prize for ,,Best Diploma Project in Mincu", in the July 2018 session.

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