The existing building is located in an area with a deconstructed urban character. By extension, the existing body develops vertically and horizontally to volumetrically fit the footprint and alignment to the cornice.
STUDIO NAME: ATELIER MASS
DESIGN TEAM (CO-AUTHORS): ATELIER MASS, MoDStudio, Oana Rus
AREA: 5000 sqm
YEAR: 2019
LOCATION: CLUJ, ROMANIA:
CONSULTANTS (COLLABORATORS): V&V Projekt – energy efficiency concepts, Fenici Kevin – renders
The presence towards the boulevard is dominated by a facade full of stone. The space between the buildings shape a new urban square, a representative space, towards which the new headquarters orients and open up through transparency an atrium and new accesses. The circular arc of the extended ground floor is an urban-scale response to the curved northern front of the plaza, thus completing the urban ensemble.
The multifunctional hall is on the ground floor to facilitate public access with direct access from the atrium which also acts as a foyer. The wardrobe is accessed also from this space. The presence of the green slope here is realized through a cutout that lets the vegetation descend into an outer courtyard. The restaurant is positioned on the 1st floor with a direct relationship to the terrace above the ground floor which connects the building to the slope. The restaurant is also close to the multi-purpose hall when they need to work together, and supports the proposed pedestrian link along the slope. Floors are dedicated to office spaces, including County Architect Department.
The atrium transposes into space the idea of transparency of the relationship between the institution and the public. Spaces for meeting visitors for informal discussions take the form of interior balconies, open spaces that run the full height of the atrium. These spaces are subdivided by vegetation to make the direct relationship between the administration and citizens as natural and human as possible.
STUDIO DESCRIPTION:
Atelier MASS is an architectural studio based in Cluj, enjoying national and international recognition. We are a diverse team of individuals driven by the collective ambition to be a role-model of professional creativity and to provide exceptional quality in our projects. Based on former multidisciplinary experience, our designing work seeks open collaborations with people from other fields to achieve better solutions. Our projects have been awarded several prizes for their innovative take on public spaces, architecture and interior design. We have also been featured in national and international exhibitions, albums of interior design and different architectural publications.
