The Rural Working Group
The Order of Architects in Romania (OAR) established in 2014 the RURAL WORKING GROUP by Resolution No. 2318 of the National Council of OAR. It was the result of understanding the need to find solutions to the multiple issues affecting rural areas, which had been ignored to that date.
Major Goals
- protecting and promoting local cultural identity and the existing (tangible and intangible) heritage in Romania, as a strategic element for the development of rural areas;
- raising awareness of the need to protect/promote the areas with valuable specific local features;
- educating rural population, entrepreneurs and authorities to act responsibly in connection with the heritage and stimulating their direct involvement in protecting/promoting the areas with valuable specific local features;
- reviving ancient construction techniques and the use of natural building materials to protect the environment and promote sustainable development;
- using architecture (and all related fields) to leverage the economic development of rural areas based on an environmentally-friendly/responsible approach;
- improving the quality of architects’ work in rural areas;
- developing documents to regulate interventions in rural areas.
Projects in progress
THE ARCHITECTURAL GUIDELINES FOR MAINTAINING CONSISTENCY WITH THE LOCAL SPECIFIC FEATURES IN RURAL AREAS
This guidelines aimed at providing a set of rules that are easy to apply, accompanied by clear examples, in order to facilitate the choice of adequate models by those willing to build in rural areas. The essential goal of these guidelines is to preserve the spirit of rural communities in Romania and to improve the quality of rural life, while maintaining the existing traditions and cultural landscape. All these elements are viewed as essential resources for a sustainable development of rural areas.
MAPPING OF TRADITIONAL AND EMERGING CONSTRUCTION-RELATED PROFESSIONS AND DERIVATIVE PRODUCTS IN ROMANIA
The outcome of this project will be the development of an online interactive map – www.hartamesterilorconstructii.ro. The map will support the Architectural Guidelines by defining the specific local features of rural areas. While the Guidelines reply to the question “How do we build?”, the map provides an answer to the question “Whom do we build with?”.
The need to inventory craftsmen and their products is a key priority for Romania in the context of a massive expansion of the construction market, including the restoration and improvement of traditional buildings, as well as the environmentally-friendly architecture of the 21stcentury. Romania is the first country to implement this priority project based on the report of the European Commission.
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