Mihai Racu | Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (original) (raw)

Papers by Mihai Racu

Architects and urban planners are seen as solution providers. In Romanian context, programmatic d... more Architects and urban planners are seen as solution providers. In Romanian context, programmatic decisions are taken by other actors like clients and representatives of public authorities (that lack specific expertise). In today’s society the role of architects and planners is switching towards a position where they are first identifying problems or needs. Another problem is the deficient communication between experts and decision makers. This article wants to explore the potential planning workshops have in bringing together decision makers and experts from different fields (architects, sociologist, urban planners, political scientist, academia etc.) in a process of research by design. In this article we will look at two case studies: two workshops organized by the Centre for the Built Environment in Făgăraș and Drăguș. We will look at the specific context of each workshop, at the methodology applied and the results in order to assess their impact. The main question we will try to a...

Ancient bathing culture around the Black Sea coasts in the mid 5 th century BCE is divided betwee... more Ancient bathing culture around the Black Sea coasts in the mid 5 th century BCE is divided between the more primitive facilities of barbarian peoples and the highly advanced Greek facilities for bathing. Case studies give a description of the Skythian steam tent, the Thrakian pools at the megalithic sanctuary in Marcov Kamak, the Greek gymnasion around the ancient Greek world and in particular the Greek gymnasion to be found at the shores of the Black Sea. In absence of rich archeological evidence, we attempt a theoretical reconstruction of the Black Sea gymnasion following the typology used in the mother city of Miletos.

Rezumat Cultura băilor antice din regiunea de coastă a Mării Negre către mijlocul secolului al 5lea î.e.n. atinsese două niveluri de dezvoltare: în nord erau răspîndite dependințe primitive ale popoarelor barbare; iar în regiunea sudică erau răspîndite complexele de băi dupa model grecesc. Studiile de caz oferă o descriere a cortului scit pentru aburi, bazinele tracice de la sanctuarul megalithic Marcov Kamak, programul de gymnasion din lumea antică greacă și în mod particular: gymnasionurile grecești ce se găsesc pe coastele Mării Negre. În lipsa de surse arheologice relevante, încercăm o reconstrucție a gymnasionului pontic urmărind tipologia folosită de orașul mamă Milet.

There is in post 1990 Romania an increased and uncontrolled growth of urban expansions. This grow... more There is in post 1990 Romania an increased and uncontrolled growth of urban expansions. This growth appears as a phenomena that can no longer be denied and it seems that it got out of the administration's control. As phenomena observed during the 25 years from the fall of the Communist regime, we can summarize the following: the increased number of residential areas in the periurban areas of the cities, that got out of the local administration's control, heterogeneous in terms of morphology, that lack a structure that could have been offered by a master plan (sprawling areas); the phenomena of gentrification, observed in the residential areas of the historical centers, in the protection areas of the city centers or even in the neighborhoods built during Communism; the defunctionalisation and thus the devitalization of the historical centers with the apparition of the great commercial poles (the mall-isation phenomena); the phenomena of taking over any green space or urban interstices left in the existing master plans. The work of a group of doctoral researchers from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism from Cluj-Napoca is focusing on this problems: the definition of Eastern European sprawl in relation with the definitions already well known and accepted; the development of specific analytic research tools that would help understand " Romanian sprawl " , the way in which design principles like New Urbanism can help intervening on the Romanian Sprawl, the way public realm can be used as a tool in restructuring this newly developed areas or the way the image of local sprawl can become a binder of regional character. The conclusions of the research will suggest possible solutions for these areas in order to fulfil urbanity standards, functional hybridization (respecting the regulations), the (re)vitalization of community space trough performative or relational architecture etc.

In the 1960’s, Jane Jacobs was defining in her book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities”... more In the 1960’s, Jane Jacobs was defining in her book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” the streets as being ”the heart of urban life”. Jacobs was saying that the streets should be full of activities and she was suggesting some qualities that they should have in order to encourage these activities: small blocks or a multitude of route choices, qualities that are linked with the street pattern.
In the second half of the 1970’s, a group of researchers from The Barlett School of Architecture (University Coledge of London), started to develop Jane Jacobs’ ideas. They started from the premise that the urban space and the street pattern, analysed at a city scale, are playing a determinant role in creating animated and attractive streets. In their book, “The Social Logic of Space”, Bill Hillier and Julienne Hanson were looking at the “social meaning of spatial patterns and at the spatial meaning of social patterns”. Later, using the steps forward made by the computer technology, Bill Hillier together with a group of researchers developed the ideas from “The Social Logic of Space” in a series of analysis, among which the space syntax method is the most well-known.
Lately the Space Syntax method became very well-known and widely used, with applications in architecture and urban planning but since it is using abstract models of the built environment and a series of quantitative data it is subject to a series of limitations and it has been criticize as being “deterministic”.
The aim of this article is to evaluate these limitations and how they might influence the way we are understanding very vivid environments, each characterized by their own distinctive, particular characteristics such as scale, integration in larger systems etc. We will look at the way data is gathered in order to use it, at the way is represented, at different spatial, functional and cultural aspects overlooked by the method in order to understand how much can we rely on it in research, evaluation and planning.

Architects and urban planners are seen as solution providers. In Romanian context, programmatic d... more Architects and urban planners are seen as solution providers. In Romanian context, programmatic
decisions are taken by other actors like clients and representatives of public authorities (that lack
specific expertise). In today’s society the role of architects and planners is switching towards a
position where they are first identifying problems or needs. Another problem is the deficient
communication between experts and decision makers. This article wants to explore the potential
planning workshops have in bringing together decision makers and experts from different fields
(architects, sociologist, urban planners, political scientist, academia etc.) in a process of research
by design. In this article we will look at two case studies: two workshops organized by the Centre
for the Built Environment in Făgăraș and Drăguș. We will look at the specific context of each
workshop, at the methodology applied and the results in order to assess their impact. The main
question we will try to answer is whether and how multidisciplinary urban workshops can
effectively support development processes.

There are several definitions of urban sprawl but most of them come back to a few notions like co... more There are several definitions of urban sprawl but most of them come back to a few notions like connectivity, density, centrality, monotonous aspect etc.. The urban sprawl is not manifesting itself the same way anywhere. For example the idea of sprawl as a “uniform and low density development” is not matching the new housing neighbourhoods that surround many Romanian cities. Here we rather find a random mix of high density areas and fragmented agricultural land. This is why there should be a special interest to develop and adapt tools that would be relevant and also easy to use in different particular contexts of the medium and big cities of Romania (and others with a similar social, economic and politic context from the Central and Eastern Europe).
This article wants to explore if mapping the geographic coordinates of the images uploaded by users on Panoramio can offer us a better understanding of the way the city is perceived by its inhabitants. We leave from the premise that the gesture of taking a photo, posting it online and linking it to a specific geographic location shows a connection with the place on some specific level. In the acceptance that urban sprawl is a process of urban development not a final status of an area this study wants to test this visualisation tool to see how it can be used to identify places of a higher interest to users that have the potential of becoming centralities and thus of contributing to a “healthy” urban form.
This research would fit in a larger multi-layer analysis focused on the Transylvanian city of Cluj Napoca mapping spatial connectivity, density etc..

The urban sprawl is usually looked at in a subjective manner. An area is described as a sprawl ar... more The urban sprawl is usually looked at in a subjective manner. An area is described as a sprawl area as a status at a specific time, as a result. Looking at the way that urban sprawl is defined we can see that there are certain characteristics that come up in several definitions. Some of them can be quantified and analysed in an objective manner in order to offer a better understanding of the urban sprawl as a process that takes place in time. This work is the result of an investigation that tried to discover if the Space Syntax methodology can be used as a sprawl measurement tool in the Romanian context (looking at the street network of Cluj Napoca). The method analyses the street connectivity and shows the places where human encounter is most probable. The results are compared with the general perception that the inhabitants have regarding different areas of the city. The aim of the study is to validate the method and use it to find opportunities to improve the “street factor” of the problematic areas.

Architects and urban planners are seen as solution providers. In Romanian context, programmatic d... more Architects and urban planners are seen as solution providers. In Romanian context, programmatic decisions are taken by other actors like clients and representatives of public authorities (that lack specific expertise). In today’s society the role of architects and planners is switching towards a position where they are first identifying problems or needs. Another problem is the deficient communication between experts and decision makers. This article wants to explore the potential planning workshops have in bringing together decision makers and experts from different fields (architects, sociologist, urban planners, political scientist, academia etc.) in a process of research by design. In this article we will look at two case studies: two workshops organized by the Centre for the Built Environment in Făgăraș and Drăguș. We will look at the specific context of each workshop, at the methodology applied and the results in order to assess their impact. The main question we will try to a...

Ancient bathing culture around the Black Sea coasts in the mid 5 th century BCE is divided betwee... more Ancient bathing culture around the Black Sea coasts in the mid 5 th century BCE is divided between the more primitive facilities of barbarian peoples and the highly advanced Greek facilities for bathing. Case studies give a description of the Skythian steam tent, the Thrakian pools at the megalithic sanctuary in Marcov Kamak, the Greek gymnasion around the ancient Greek world and in particular the Greek gymnasion to be found at the shores of the Black Sea. In absence of rich archeological evidence, we attempt a theoretical reconstruction of the Black Sea gymnasion following the typology used in the mother city of Miletos.

Rezumat Cultura băilor antice din regiunea de coastă a Mării Negre către mijlocul secolului al 5lea î.e.n. atinsese două niveluri de dezvoltare: în nord erau răspîndite dependințe primitive ale popoarelor barbare; iar în regiunea sudică erau răspîndite complexele de băi dupa model grecesc. Studiile de caz oferă o descriere a cortului scit pentru aburi, bazinele tracice de la sanctuarul megalithic Marcov Kamak, programul de gymnasion din lumea antică greacă și în mod particular: gymnasionurile grecești ce se găsesc pe coastele Mării Negre. În lipsa de surse arheologice relevante, încercăm o reconstrucție a gymnasionului pontic urmărind tipologia folosită de orașul mamă Milet.

There is in post 1990 Romania an increased and uncontrolled growth of urban expansions. This grow... more There is in post 1990 Romania an increased and uncontrolled growth of urban expansions. This growth appears as a phenomena that can no longer be denied and it seems that it got out of the administration's control. As phenomena observed during the 25 years from the fall of the Communist regime, we can summarize the following: the increased number of residential areas in the periurban areas of the cities, that got out of the local administration's control, heterogeneous in terms of morphology, that lack a structure that could have been offered by a master plan (sprawling areas); the phenomena of gentrification, observed in the residential areas of the historical centers, in the protection areas of the city centers or even in the neighborhoods built during Communism; the defunctionalisation and thus the devitalization of the historical centers with the apparition of the great commercial poles (the mall-isation phenomena); the phenomena of taking over any green space or urban interstices left in the existing master plans. The work of a group of doctoral researchers from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism from Cluj-Napoca is focusing on this problems: the definition of Eastern European sprawl in relation with the definitions already well known and accepted; the development of specific analytic research tools that would help understand " Romanian sprawl " , the way in which design principles like New Urbanism can help intervening on the Romanian Sprawl, the way public realm can be used as a tool in restructuring this newly developed areas or the way the image of local sprawl can become a binder of regional character. The conclusions of the research will suggest possible solutions for these areas in order to fulfil urbanity standards, functional hybridization (respecting the regulations), the (re)vitalization of community space trough performative or relational architecture etc.

In the 1960’s, Jane Jacobs was defining in her book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities”... more In the 1960’s, Jane Jacobs was defining in her book “The Death and Life of Great American Cities” the streets as being ”the heart of urban life”. Jacobs was saying that the streets should be full of activities and she was suggesting some qualities that they should have in order to encourage these activities: small blocks or a multitude of route choices, qualities that are linked with the street pattern.
In the second half of the 1970’s, a group of researchers from The Barlett School of Architecture (University Coledge of London), started to develop Jane Jacobs’ ideas. They started from the premise that the urban space and the street pattern, analysed at a city scale, are playing a determinant role in creating animated and attractive streets. In their book, “The Social Logic of Space”, Bill Hillier and Julienne Hanson were looking at the “social meaning of spatial patterns and at the spatial meaning of social patterns”. Later, using the steps forward made by the computer technology, Bill Hillier together with a group of researchers developed the ideas from “The Social Logic of Space” in a series of analysis, among which the space syntax method is the most well-known.
Lately the Space Syntax method became very well-known and widely used, with applications in architecture and urban planning but since it is using abstract models of the built environment and a series of quantitative data it is subject to a series of limitations and it has been criticize as being “deterministic”.
The aim of this article is to evaluate these limitations and how they might influence the way we are understanding very vivid environments, each characterized by their own distinctive, particular characteristics such as scale, integration in larger systems etc. We will look at the way data is gathered in order to use it, at the way is represented, at different spatial, functional and cultural aspects overlooked by the method in order to understand how much can we rely on it in research, evaluation and planning.

Architects and urban planners are seen as solution providers. In Romanian context, programmatic d... more Architects and urban planners are seen as solution providers. In Romanian context, programmatic
decisions are taken by other actors like clients and representatives of public authorities (that lack
specific expertise). In today’s society the role of architects and planners is switching towards a
position where they are first identifying problems or needs. Another problem is the deficient
communication between experts and decision makers. This article wants to explore the potential
planning workshops have in bringing together decision makers and experts from different fields
(architects, sociologist, urban planners, political scientist, academia etc.) in a process of research
by design. In this article we will look at two case studies: two workshops organized by the Centre
for the Built Environment in Făgăraș and Drăguș. We will look at the specific context of each
workshop, at the methodology applied and the results in order to assess their impact. The main
question we will try to answer is whether and how multidisciplinary urban workshops can
effectively support development processes.

There are several definitions of urban sprawl but most of them come back to a few notions like co... more There are several definitions of urban sprawl but most of them come back to a few notions like connectivity, density, centrality, monotonous aspect etc.. The urban sprawl is not manifesting itself the same way anywhere. For example the idea of sprawl as a “uniform and low density development” is not matching the new housing neighbourhoods that surround many Romanian cities. Here we rather find a random mix of high density areas and fragmented agricultural land. This is why there should be a special interest to develop and adapt tools that would be relevant and also easy to use in different particular contexts of the medium and big cities of Romania (and others with a similar social, economic and politic context from the Central and Eastern Europe).
This article wants to explore if mapping the geographic coordinates of the images uploaded by users on Panoramio can offer us a better understanding of the way the city is perceived by its inhabitants. We leave from the premise that the gesture of taking a photo, posting it online and linking it to a specific geographic location shows a connection with the place on some specific level. In the acceptance that urban sprawl is a process of urban development not a final status of an area this study wants to test this visualisation tool to see how it can be used to identify places of a higher interest to users that have the potential of becoming centralities and thus of contributing to a “healthy” urban form.
This research would fit in a larger multi-layer analysis focused on the Transylvanian city of Cluj Napoca mapping spatial connectivity, density etc..

The urban sprawl is usually looked at in a subjective manner. An area is described as a sprawl ar... more The urban sprawl is usually looked at in a subjective manner. An area is described as a sprawl area as a status at a specific time, as a result. Looking at the way that urban sprawl is defined we can see that there are certain characteristics that come up in several definitions. Some of them can be quantified and analysed in an objective manner in order to offer a better understanding of the urban sprawl as a process that takes place in time. This work is the result of an investigation that tried to discover if the Space Syntax methodology can be used as a sprawl measurement tool in the Romanian context (looking at the street network of Cluj Napoca). The method analyses the street connectivity and shows the places where human encounter is most probable. The results are compared with the general perception that the inhabitants have regarding different areas of the city. The aim of the study is to validate the method and use it to find opportunities to improve the “street factor” of the problematic areas.