Student: Pap Alexia
Coordinating Professor: Conf. Dr. Arch. Andreea Anamaria Anghel
In a city with such a strong cultural identity as Timișoara, there is a growing need to highlight its historical richness in a contemporary and engaging way, particularly for younger generations. Timișoara is a city shaped by multiple cultures, nations, and ethnic groups, a diversity reflected throughout its architecture, educational institutions, religious buildings, gastronomy, population, and languages. Furthermore, Timișoara’s designation as European Capital of Culture in 2023 further reinforced the need and desire to emphasize and promote the city’s local heritage.
The project aims to create a space that responds to the need to capitalize on the cultural layers that, over time, have contributed to shaping the identity of contemporary Timișoara, while also addressing the younger generation’s interest in discovering and understanding the city in which they live or which they visit. Based on these observations and an analysis of current public needs and expectations, a strategy for implementing this concept was developed. The proposal takes the form of a cultural hub: a multifunctional space combining the cultural function of a bookstore with the social dimension of a tea house. The bookstore is conceived not merely as a place for purchasing books, but as a space in which books and culture can be experienced, complemented by areas for relaxation and the enjoyment of hot or cold beverages according to the season.
The proposed function is located on the ground floor of the Israelite Community Palace, in the Cetate district. In developing the concept, several aspects were analyzed, including the site’s position, its relationship with the surrounding urban context, the architectural characteristics of the building, its ornamentation and defining elements, as well as its historical evolution and former functions.
The design does not seek to compete with the history and character of the existing building, but rather to reactivate and reinterpret them in a contemporary and harmonious manner, creating a space inspired by the building’s historical identity. The intervention is conceived as versatile and accessible to diverse categories of users, from students, adults, and elderly people to locals and tourists, as well as from passionate readers to those simply seeking to enjoy a quality cup of tea in a culturally meaningful environment.