TYPE: Competition

CATEGORY: Education - High School

LOCATION: Cluj-Napoca, România

SITE AREA: 14.800 m²

BUILT AREA: 5.530 m²

DEVELOPED AREA: 15.190 m²

CLIENT: Cluj-Napoca Municipality

Partners in charge: Adrian Urda, Vlad Oniga

Main authors: VOUA Arhitectură+Design - Vlad Oniga, MoD Studio - Cosmin Morărescu, Carles Tolomeiu

Coauthors: Adrian Urda, Andreea Morărescu, Rodica Luchian, Melania Bahnă, Alexandra Necula, Beatrice Grindean

URBAN CONCEPT

The urban concept of the design proposal revolves around the pedestrian connection between Arges and Andrei Saguna streets, and the expansion of the “walkable city” concept.

The currently car-ridden streets surrounding Balcescu School, do not offer a friendly and approachable urban space destined for children and pedestrians alike, the concept proposes a decongestion of the area by greatly reducing the traffic coming from Piata Avram Iancu, and Constanta street.

The entirety of Arges street is proposed as a mixed walkable area, with reduced vehicular access and speed, the waterway of Morii Canal is freed from the annexes suffocating it, and restored to it’s original enjoyable aspect, promoting a more pleasurable urban walking experience.

Vegetation is added along the lines of the canal, together with seating areas, bicycle stalls, nocturnal lighting and traffic restricting elements, all leading to the new main entrance to Balcescu School.

The materials used for the new Arges street are pedestrian friendly, permeable and durable, encouraging the visual and tactile continuity of the existing walkable urban spaces which have already been restructured in the historic center of the city.

Following the changes proposed for Arges street, the school is provided with a much larger and friendlier access, without the stress of excessive traffic, with a larger space for gatherings, and without the risk of children having to navigate dangerous traffic.

The urban space along the peripheral sides of the school is restructured in order to better accommodate the newly restructured Arges street, larger sidewalks are provided all around the historic building of the school, and the fence surrounding the school has been eliminated for more urban space to be created. The green areas surrounding the historic building did not offer a proper medium for children to use, so the decision was made to open this green space to the city.

SUSTAINABILITY

The refreshed urban space ensures access to vegetation, protection from sound pollution, and the cooling and ventilation benefits of the vicinity of the canal, while encouraging a more active, comfortable and relaxed lifestyle.

Arges street, in it’s newly proposed form creates a protective green barrier from the pollution of the city, while also providing an access funnel for the school, and integrating it into a more accessible urban system.

The newly proposed building is consistent with the current energy efficiency requirements, by ensuring proper insulation, high quality windows and sealed envelope, with controlled ventilation systems in order to ensure proper oxygenation and ventilation of the space with high energy efficiency.

The heating concept is a mixed system serving the existing and new building. The system mixes heat pumps and traditional gas heating, with the possibility of transitioning to a fully electric system in the future.

Main roof platforms are covered with green terraces, which capture rainwater, and dissipate it slowly, in order to not overwhelm the rain-sewage systems, and also helping with temperature control and irrigation of green terraces and outside landscaped areas. Another benefit of the green terraces is the temperature regulation.

Controlled light through a shading facade system helps with temperature regulation, and direct sunlight control, ensuring a more energy efficient cooling and heating system.

Ventilation and cooling of the building is done by using technical floors which use natural flow of air, and cool the interior air. All ventilation inside the building is controlled through powerful ventilation and filter systems.

Energy consumption is complemented by alternative energy systems like roof solar panels and photovoltaic panels, which store energy in storage batteries to be used when necessary.

STUDENTS MAIN ACCESS

Located on the southern side, on Arges street, and complementing the original historic access for the teachers on the western side, the main student access is centered along the school's facade, funneling access directly into the main inner hallway and exhibit space from the main walkable urban space.

The proposed solution for the acces is a semi-protected space, where children can spend time safe from the elements, marked by the only contrast in material present on the facade, and meant to map out the presence of the entrance.

BUILDING INTEGRATION

The proposal responds to the project brief by refreshing the entire half of eastern side of the site. All the secondary inappropriate buildings have been removed, in order to make room for a more unified and representative architectural piece.

The concept responds respectfully to the historical building, by emphasizing the facade alignment and cornice height, while also offering a generous space towards the public space.

The facades of the newly inserted volumes respond to the vicinities, through the proposed heights, the rhythm of the facades, and the general connection between volumes.

The structure of the interior courtyard is again dictated by the historical building, which already has an established courtyard towards the East. The proposed intervention creates a separation in the middle of the site, by extruding the yard upwards, generating two distinct and protected inner spaces, with different characteristics.

The first “central” courtyard, defined by the historical building, has a more official, traditional character, while the second eastern courtyard has a more dynamic one. The orientation of the extruded slope is inclined towards the Eastern courtyard, for the purpose of creating views towards sportive events, and also for expanding and connecting the main floor level to a walkable green space.