4* HOTEL

UAUIM - Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urban Planning

Project idea

The project involves the construction of a four-star hotel in Bucharest. The site is the intersection between Calea Plevnei and Mirecea Vulcanescu Street. The proposal has to respond to the context-function binomial and the public-private space.

Project description

The proposal has to respond to the context-function binomial and the public-private space. The project has covered the following stages:
1. analyzing the urban context and establishing the conclusions (1 week)
2. study examples and volumetric configuration proposal (3 weeks)
3.configuration of spaces and establishment of plans / sections / facades (5 weeks)
4. project review (1 week)
The difficulty of the project consisted in the multitude of spaces and functions such as: bar, restaurant, spa, multimedia room, conference spaces, exhibition space, commercial spaces, etc. what were added to the hotel itself.
The urban context in which the hotel was placed was complex and difficult because its main feature is the heterogeneous character of the area. It includes fragments from various stages of architectural history. From individual 19th century dwellings, communist buildings or buildings without architectural value to historic monuments, all this represents a piece of a puzzle. An important building near the site is the Radio House built during the Communist regime, which today is a ruin and also a landmark of this area. the proposal had to revive somehow this area becoming a new landmark in the collective mentality. At the same time it was important in the realization of the proposal to keep the relationship with the neighborhood and the integration in the urban context. The photographic study showed the necessity of a building with a high height to become a new landmark of the area. This high prism is the hotel rooms oriented towards different perspectives of the city. As the height increases, the perspective becomes more spectacular. The rest of the functions are arranged on the ground in such a way that there is a relationship with the neighborhood. The street front on Mircea Vulcanescu is continued with the same rhythm by the arrangement of some commercial spaces directly from the street. The height of the cornice is respected and the relationship with the street is carefully treated. The conference center and the Spa center of the hotel are detached from the hotel building communicating at a higher level through an exhibition space. Thus creates a gap at the level of the ground floor becomes more open in relation to the street and to the inner yard. The parter is as free and open as possible to the street and the use of glass as a closure is the accentuation of this permissive character. Public spaces have a great opening both in length and height Various sections. Being an ever changing area I wanted the proposal it has to have this dynamic character. This is noticed in the plan where some key spaces make the transition between various directional changes. In conclusion, all architectural gestures were meant to make the proposal belong to the area and context.

Technical information

Such a complex project had two parts: conceptual and technical.The conceptual part meant sketches, drawings, collages, references and analysis, while the technical part meant a detail through the section of the building. The building materials used were also detailed their way of assembling working at scale 1: 20. All this to understand the direction of a project that becomes reality from a simple sketch.