announces

Roşia Montană ARA Field School 2013

HERITAGE FOR COMMUNITIES – direct documentation and conservation actions for the architectural heritage of Roşia Montană
Dates: 1 – 15 September 2013
Place: Roşia Montană, Co. Alba, Romania

Background and content: The Roşia Montană Field School was developed within the ARA field schools programme, as a response to the critical situation of the heritage of Roşia Montană and its surroundings, under threat from a large scale open-cast mining operation.

Roşia Montană is one of the most representative mining landscapes of Europe, shaped by gold and silver mining practiced here as early as the Bronze Age and by the corresponding inhabitation of the area, with major developments in Roman, Medieval and late Modern times. Its Prehistoric surface mining works, the extensive system of deep underground mines started in the Dacian Iron Age, in the 1st Century BC and extended further until recently in the 1970’s, the corresponding surface features, such as barren mountain faces, small waste heaps, paths and roads, reservoirs, water channels, stamping areas, later ancillary industry and the mining town in-between, the surrounding natural areas of high ecological value – together these substantial features testify for the development of mining in this area over more than three millennia, reflecting a long-lasting positive interaction between man and environment.
Today Roşia Montană is highly threatened by a gold-mine project which would entail the blasting-off and grinding to dust of the largest extent of the cultural site. Roşia Montană has been recently recognized as one of Europe’s most endangered cultural heritage sites, and included in the 7 Most Endangered Programme, initiated by Europa Nostra in partnership with the European Investment Bank and the Council of Europe Development Bank.
The Roşia Montană Field School has been organized yearly since 2009, and it is directed towards students in the final years of studies and young professionals in the field of conservation of cultural heritage. The school covers a wide range of topics relevant to the assets and problems of the site, with a particular attention to built heritage and its specific historical, technical, but also social and economic issues.

Aim and objectives:
The aim of the field school is to contribute to a better understanding of the particular values of mining cultural heritage and of its role for the development of local communities. Specifically, the field school aims to improve the knowledge, appreciation and protection of the Roşia Montană mining landscape.

The main objectives of the school are:
– to provide participants with a relevant theoretical and practical framework on cultural landscapes, with particular emphasis on issues as cultural and natural values of landscapes, community action, vernacular architecture, structural conservation, heritage and development;
– to facilitate and develop cross-disciplinary thought and action in relation to cultural landscape conservation and management;
– to offer the framework for joint professional and community actions for the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage;
– to produce quality documentation and conservation work, meant to test and prove adequate methods for the protection of the site.

The field school programme:
The programme is divided between lectures and open discussions, documentation work, hands-on conservation work on traditional buildings, and field trips. One section of the programme will be dedicated to presentations by the participants on subjects of their choice, regarding their professional formation and experience.

The detailed programme will be announced shortly.

Lecturers and tutors:
The theoretical section of the field school programme will be delivered through lectures and discussions held by ARA’s guests, recognized experts and emerging professionals in the field. The practical work will be carried out under the guidance of the professionals of ARA.

Fees, travel, accommodation:
The participation fee is 450 lei (100 Euro) including accommodation with local families, or 300 lei (67 Euro) including accommodation in camping site. Participants choosing accommodation at camping site should bring their own tents.
The participation fee covers two meals a day, breakfast and dinner, with local families in Roşia Montană.

Participants will be responsible for their round trip travel costs to Roşia Montană, Romania. Details and information on travel arrangements will be available at the organizers.

Participants:
Applicants should be students in their final years of studies or young professionals in the field of cultural heritage. The number of participants is limited to 25.

Languages:
The working languages of the school are Romanian and English. Translation from Romanian to English shall be provided when necessary.

Applications:
Please prepare a short motivation letter and send it to the contact address below, together with a professional curriculum vitae.
asociatie (at) simpara.ro

Application deadline:
Applications should be submitted by August 20, 2013.

organized by >
a|r|a
Architecture. Restoration. Archaeology
www.simpara.ro , www.facebook.com/asociatia.ara
Dr. Monica Mărgineanu Cârstoiu,
Dr. Virgil Apostol, Dr. Ştefan Bâlici

in partnership with >
The Mihai Eminescu Trust, London, UK – Sighişoara, Romania

a programme supported by >
The Unitarian Parish of Roşia Montană
parish priest, Fr. Árpád Pálfi

with financial support from>

The Romanian Union of Architects

from the Architecture Tax Fund within the project “Documentation of architectural and landscape heritage of Roșia Montană”

Programme

September 1st | Sunday>

Arrival of participants
19.00 Introductory talk, presentation of participants and of the school

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September 2nd | Monday>

10.00 Fr. Árpád Pálfi [Parish priest, Unitarian Parish of Roşia Montană]
Welcome speech
Dr. Ştefan Bâlici [architect, ARA, Bucharest]
Field School Opening
19.00 Presentations by the participants

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September 3rd | Tuesday>

19.00 Alexandra Stoica [arhitect, ARA, Braşov]
Historic plasters: material, technique and restoration

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September 4th | Wednesday>

19.00 Dr. Kamil Sari
[archaeologist, Director of the Inspection, research and policy conservation department at Israel Antiquities Authority]
reserved title

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September 5th| Thursday>

19.00 Cristina Georgescu
[restorer, “Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology of the Romanian Academy]
Conservation and restoration of archaeological materials – perspectives

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September 6th | Friday>
16.00 Filip Şerbu [historic organs restorer, Bucharest], Oana Ţole [assistant restorer, Bucharest]
The restoration of the organ of the Unitarian church of Roşia Montană
17.00 Organ recital by
Alexandru Negriuc

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September 7th | Saturday>

16.00 Şerban Sturdza
[architect, vicepresident of the Romanian Chamber of Architects, vicepresident of the ProPatrimonio Foundation, Bucharest]
Heritage preservation, a social mission

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September 8th | Sunday>

10.00 Sorana Vlad (tutor)
[architect, ARA, Cluj-Napoca]
Study trip

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September 9th | Monday>

19.00 Caroline Fernolend
[economist, vicepresident of the “Mihai Eminescu” Trust, London – Sighişoara]
Heritage and community: the experience of Transylvania’s Saxon villages

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September 10th | Tuesday>

16.00 Nicolas Triboi
[landscape architect, Atelier “Foaie Verde”, Câmpulung]
Landscape analysis of Roşia Montană: walking lecture
Radu Sălcudean
[photographer, “Ciorchin” Cultural Association, Cluj-Napoca]
The power of the photographic image: walking lecture

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September 11th| Wednesday >

19.00 Dr. Mirela Cîmpean
[biologist, lecturer, Faculty of Biology and Geology, “Babeş-Bolyai” University, Cluj-Napoca]
Cultural ecology

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September 12th |Thursday>

19.00 Dr. Alexandru Dragoman
[archaeologist, “Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology of the Romanian Academy]
The tale of a monument from Roşia Montană

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September 13th | Friday>

19.00 Dr. Cristina-Georgeta Alexandrescu
[archaeologist, “Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology of the Romanian Academy]
The TROESMIS case: from legionary camp to Byzantine fortification – from “model Roman fort” investigated by the French mission of Napoleon III (1865) to the reality of a grade A site from Romania’s national heritage

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September 14th |Saturday>

19.00 Dr. Virgil Apostol

[architect, Romania’s National History Muzeum, Secretary ARA]

Archaeological heritage and cultural landscape
20.00 Closing ceremony of the Field School
Discussion

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September 15th | Sunday>

Departure of participants

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The workshop New technologies in high resolution photogrammetry will take place during the first week of the Field School, under the coordination of

Lucian Vuicin
[engineer, director de operations, Helicam GeoSpatial Systems, Timişoara]

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The programme is completed by open talks on the lecture subjects and the practical activity, but also by film screenings, all hosted by the Unitarian parish house, the future study centre for traditional architecture in Roşia Montană.

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