Initiatives / Experiments / Visions

Towers of Cluj - Papercraft book prototype

Principal author

Klara Veer

Profession

arhitect

Co-authors (team members)

Dan Burzo

Architecture office

KVAD studio

Collaborators (team members)

Lavinia Jaba

External collaborators

lect. dr. Kovács Zsolt (autor text)

Project year

2017-2018

Location

Cluj

Client

Self-published

Project description

DeCluj presents a collection of papercut models and cut-out postcards featuring architectural and symbolic landmarks of Cluj, reflecting its development at various historical moments. The first workbook, “The Towers of Cluj”, contains seven cut-out models that can be cut and glued regardless of skill or age. Three of the medieval towers are still standing; the others were reconstructed according to the historical photographs made by Ferenc Veress in the 1860s, a series of drawings published in Elek Jakab’s 19th century monograph and the architectural surveys drawn up by the city’s former chief architect, Lajos Pakey. The idea for the project originates from 2009: the first cut-out postcard was designed as a give-away souvenir for the opening event after the Tailors’ Tower rehabilitation. In 2017, the first prototype with the cut-out models has been playtested during a workshop for kids organized in the context of the Transylvanian Architectural Biennial. The next prototype being worked on in the same series is focusing on modernist buildings of Cluj.

Text description of the author

Klara Veer is an architect working in Cluj. In 2012, she founded KVAD studio, a playground for design+architecture. She enjoys focusing on projects that involve human creativity and collaborative art. Dan Burzo is a designer and software engineer based in Cluj. He is a co-founder of Moqups, where he currently works as a development manager. Since 2016, they are part of the team running White Cuib, a tiny exhibition space that showcases the work of emerging Romanian visual artists and musicians.

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