1

PAO.6 Experimental Architecture

Summerschool

in Potoc

/ Romania

13.9. –

24.9. 2010

Review

2

Potoc

Top: Streetlife, Middle: Colours in autumn, Bottom: Potoc village

It

seemed

to be

a place

out of time.. Our

visit

in Potoc

this

year

has confirmed

that

feeling. Anyhow, things

are

changing

–

that

is

for

shure

in modern times. Since

the

revolution

of 1989, rural

areas

in Romania

are

struggeling

hard

with

major

structural

changes. The

youth

is

missing

and the

village

overage

decline. Recognising

this

situation, new

ideas

and concepts

shall

be

found

as how

to turn the

page

towards

a village

revitalisation.

3

Location

Potoc

Potoc

Village

with

its

some

250 inhabitants

is

located

in Southwest

Romania, close

to the

Serbian

border, just a stone‘s

throw

away

from

Danube

River. The

ethnically

rich

Balkan region

looks

back on a history

full

of changes. Under

these

circumstances

long-

term

stability

was an exception. Prosperity

and progress

were

often

experienced

as a result

of change

instead

of a balanced

development. In this

situation

improvisation

and collaboration

became

virtiu. In that

way, constant

movements

and human action

had

formed

a cultural

melting

pot

as an infinite resource

for

artistic

inspiration

and creative

works

too.

Potoc

is

surrounded

by

incredible

natural

settings, holding

the

gate

into

the

gorge

of Cheile Nerei –

an important

nature reservation

in Romania. The

people

from

Potoc

are

highly

aware

of their

natural

and traditional values.

Bottom: Hill slope beyond Potoc, sunset, Sorin‘s Garden

4

Village

& School

Bottom: Schoolhouse, Orthodox church and camin cultural (Kulturhaus)

Valid

concepts for project work can be easily derived

if ideas are in line with the site and the people, with their possibilities and desires. 2009 we

found

an old

and demolished

schoolbuilding

in Potoc. Situated above the village on the hillslope, neighbouring with the Romanian Orthodox church and the Kulturhaus, the former village school had been unused for years. Once, the school was one of the center points of the village. The building opens great opportunities for sustainable developments for the future.

Camin Cultural

Romanian Orthodox Church

School Building

Potoc Village

5

The Project

The central idea for the future of the old schoolbuilding in Potoc is the set-up of a creative institution, a studio and a Tusculum –

a reguge, but open for the experiment which could be turn into a real cultural

center

point for

the

Cheile

Nerei

region.

Looking

at the

school

as it

was, a certain

tendency

for

the

future

can

be

figured

out, a chance

for

the

building

itself: to become

a place

of studying, filled

with

an artistic

and crafty

spirit, a place

of inspiration, meditation, and togetherness. Imagine

a vital school

life again, but

one

that

not

only

teaches

formal academic knowledge, but

genuinely

develops

and growths

the

mind

of the

people.

The future concepts for the schoolbuilding may not ignore the people of Potoc and their

interests. Starting

from

the

idea

of an Experimental Creative

Laboraty, specific

functions

can

be

entitled. One of them

is

setting

up a Builder‘s

workshop. In Potoc, like

in any

other

village, there

is

and always

will be

public

construction

work. There

will be

always

building

works

to be

done

and there

would

be

always

a team

of builders. This

included

the

idea

of a local

artisian

workshop, including

an atelier

and a material storage, a machine

room

and a showroom

featuring

valuable

traditions

and practices. Without

involving

the

locals

the

School of Potoc makes

no sense.

A stepwise

rehabilitation

of the

old

and derelict

building

is

provided: every

year

one

or

more

rooms, or

rather

parts

of the

building

shall

be

professionally

refurbished. The

PAO session

2010 in Potoc

aimed

that

purpose: the

first

steps

should

be

made. With

all care

and patience, one

step

by

another

will be

taken

in order to steadily

develop

a functioning

and vital complex. The

extension

of the

old

schoolbuilding

is

not

to be

spectacular

architecture. Before

all it

should

work

and enable

people

to work

there

and to get

inspired.

Artists

in Residence

Builders Workshop

&

Material storage

Practical Courses

&

Summerschools

Seminar

&

Conference

Exhibitions

&

Micromuseum

Children Education

&

Training

The

Idea: Designing

an Experimental Creative

Laboraty

6

7

The Workshop

In this

year

one

of the

core

ideas

of PAO came

to the

fore: to live and travel

within

tents

–

a natural

experience

and a real challenge

in the

same

time. Close to the elements, the tent is a place for immediate experience of wind, rain, and earth.

Where it’s just a thin skin to the outside, there is almost no privacy. People are coming closer. Little personal things becoming more important. The

green ground beyond the school made a perfect place to set up a tent camp. A minimum of comfort was quickly installed: a dry toilet, a simple shower, a fire place. Under such primitive conditions one may discover what one realy need –

and what is simply overdosed.

Potoc

Workshop Camp

8

9

Garage Innovation Jörg Rainer NOENNIG, Germany

New Trends of Architecture in Belgrade Jelena Ivanovic

VOJVODIC, Serbia

Nature DrawingManole

OLTEANU, Romania

Lectures

& Speeches

The Japanese Theater Tetsuya

KOBAYASHI, Japan

Project Preparation: Powers of Potoc Sorin

Vlad

PREDESCU, Romania

10

Fieldtrips

Socolari September 17th

Theater Mihai Eminescu, Oravitza September 19th

Sasca Romana September 19th

Small trips

for

half a day

or

just for

some

hours

made

the

group

familiar

with

the

village

and the

rural

outback. Near

destinations

simplified

the

travel

organisation. Often

we

started

sponaneously

and unprepared. Besides, all kind

of individual

survey

was recommended. For instance, the

need

for

having

a break

could

be

the

beginning

of a journey. One start to walk, on the

spur of the

moment, just following

the

nose, semiconsciously

eventually. Remember, a lot of good solutions

were

found

by

chance, in science

or

art even

if

that‘s

not

their

main

principle. But sometimes a small hike brings a breakthrough. Perhaps you do not even have a

destination

now, just go. Armed

with pen, paper

and camera

you

are

enough

prepared

to expect

the

unexpected. (Top: Jörg and Leo on inspection

tour)

11

Field

ResearchThe

village

is

soaked

with

historical, cultural, and natural

knowledge

which

influences

the

architectural

composition

certainly. Rough

materials

and robust construction

methods

are

prevailing. Each

village

or

cottage

comprises

a small

world

order, a vital micro

cosmos

in a complex

macro

cosmos

of believe, myths

and roles

–

far away

from

disorder. You

can

read

it

if

you

touch

it. We

made

ourselves

known

to the

people, talking

and drinking

wine

with

them. Perhaps

it

was not

the

destination

but

might

be

a start for

further

collaboration.

12

Fieldwork: Architecture

DrawingSure, a pitoresque environment encourages you to draw. But it’s not about perfect rendering. You simply need to know how things are made to figure out them. In this terms drawing may be seen as a way to understand culture. Designing or invention are evolutionary processes. In nature drawings, at first things such as volume and masses, building elements, lights an shadow, and detail solutions appear. Than you come closer to study material stuctures like colours, surface, texture. Ideas can arise unexpectedly at any time, anywhere. It‘s

alchemy, perhaps.

13

Structure

Studies

14

Mental Maps

of PotocAfter the analytical field studies we shifted to synthesis. Mental maps, scripts, and scribble may refer, how we recognize the place, its attributes, and phenomena personally. They are a filter of memory. In "good" cognitive models, relevant aspects of reality may remain, in particular its structure. These tools

helped

us

to shape

our

project

plan and to define

approaches

to solve problems. They are bridges

between

data

record

and processing, and between

reality

and personal knowledge.

15

MindmappingAs another cognitive tool, the mindmap was strained to encourage our ideas closer to planning and organizational tasks. Tree structures visualize hierarchically the idea and its aspects. It seems like to come out by themselves, or rather from our well trained modes of thinking. Those maps are useful, looking like cooking recipes, easy and tasty. They make sence for us modern enlightened people. But we looked a bit quizzy out of the window: How the hell we do explain that to those out there?

16

Public PresentationOne importand

thing

we

have

learned

on both

workshops, in Italy

and in Romania: it

is

crucial

to talk

and communicate

your

ideas

to the

local

communitiy. Imagine, somebody

comes

to your

home

in order to change

it. Call

it

democracy, but

we

simply

had

to inform

the

villagers

what

we

want

to do, what

can

be

there. On one

Sunday evening

we

organized

a public

discussion

about

the

school

project

in the

Kulturhaus of Potoc. We made a clean sweep and some good ideas from the locals were picked up.

17

Potoc

People

18

Design StudioOne of the former classrooms became our design studio for the next two weeks -

the same place where generations of pupils had to learn orthography and algebra. Now, the PAO Workshop had its creative homebase here –

simple, rough, and a bit dusty, yet an inspiring atmosphere. In these premises, the group was to distill their observations and findings into ideas and concepts for the school project. It became our refuge and lounge bar in the evenings, where e.g. lectures and speeches were held.

19

Kinder PAOLittle Elvis pointed: “PAO este cel mai mare hutzulusche”

–

which means as much as, PAO makes the best swing in the world. However, kids are our “conspirative”

agents and the ambassadors of their parents, infiltrating the olders with new ideas. During the workshop we were always surrounded by local children. No wonder, what’s a better playground as a construction site with huge piles of sand, “real”

tools, machines maybe? For sure, we tried to teach “the wild bunch”

some “skills”

–

not as easy as it sounds.

20

Micro

InterventionsThe little things, moves, interventions, and objects become more important in a highly concentrated workshop situation. No doubt, bigger problems can be easier solved on a smaller scale. Otherwise, minor moves may cause bigger shifts. It is like children’s playing with materials, founds or artefacts to understand complexity. In the workshop plenty of non-spectacular things were done. Mostly temporarily, but some may survive as a detail, or even in photographs. It’s cosmic, a play with elements.

21

Subbotnik–

from Russian word суббота

for

Saturday

–

were

days

of volunteer

work

following

the

communist

seizure

of power. The

tradition

is

continued

in Romania

even

after

the

fall of communism. In Potoc

like

in other

villages, cleaning

the

streets, fixing

public

amenities, and other

community

services

are

often

organized

in voluntary

work

assignments. At one

day

the

school

and its

yard

were

filled

with

rumble

and hum

when

the

PAO group

worked

hand in hand with

voluntary

village

workers.

22

Hands-onThere

comes

a time when

ideas

become

concrete. Learning

effects

are

bigger

when

things

are

tried

out under

real conditions

and then

reflected. We

started

to work

by

experimenting

with

materials, construction

methods, and tools, even

with

wind and sun, learning

the

limits and possibilities

of the

place, the

budget

and our

personal skills. In and outside

the

school

were

a lot of things

to build, to tinker, and to repair, which

can

be

carried

out only

in a group. 2010, we

have

got

just a small

taste of it.

23

Material RecyclingRecycling is

important

as concept

for

these

project. At least, an old

rotten village

school

will be

converted

into

something

new. It

remains

a school, but

with

a fresh

supply. For our

Design-to-Build

Workshop we

used

what

we

got

in and around

the

building, in the

village

and from

construction

material dealers, such as wood

waste, metal sheeds, stones, boards, boxes, etc. Transports were

done

with

the

Mayor‘s

truck. Used

things

have

already

a history

–

that

might

become

a starting

point for

new

ideas.

24

Earth WorksPotoc

village

is

practically

set

upon

a hill

of clay. The

local

building

material is

called

„yellow

earth“, and it

is

well-known

for

its

qualities. No wonder, that

in the

past

the

people

in the

zone

produced

crockery, designed

in specific

local

forms. Half of the

houses

in Potoc

are

built

in earth

building

techniques. This

opens

a rich

resource

for

creative

works. PAO experimented

with

the

natural

material. The

question

remains: How

it

can

be

used

as alternative building

method

for

the

reabilitation

of the

school?

25

The Projects

26

Experimental Atelier PotocDue

to the

idea

of a longterm

rehabilitation, the

first

step

was made

inside

of the

school. In one of the devastated former classrooms

a workspace

is

established, a place

where

all further

kinds

of activities

around

the

project

shall

be

prepared. We

refurbished

our

new

studio makeshift

with

founded, useful

things. The

windows

were

covered

with

translucid

textile. Bright white

light is

floating

inside. Provisorily, yet

calm, PAO has its

Romanian

headquarter

–

first

steps

toward

a constant

design

atelier.

Realized by: J.R. Nönnig, I. Avram, T. Teruuchi, M. Wieczorek, L. Thuma

27

Studio Windows

Design: J.R. Nönnig, M. Wieczorek

28

Repairing

the

WallWith

help

of the

local

craftsman

Vasile, the

demolished

and crumbled

perimeter

wall of the

school

ground, made

of natural

stones, was repaired

within

seven

days. Gate

and doorway

got

a simple, yet

beautiful

design

too. Moreover, the

boundary‘s

replacement

had

a symbolic

effect, working

as signal

for

the

locals

that

something

is

going

on here. The

priest proclaimed: „The

church

mows

the grass ahead, while the Mayor is cleaning

the

school

garden. You‘re

repairing

the

wall. That‘s

easy

to understand

for

those

people.“

Designed & built by: C. Comanoaea, R. Grumeza, L. Oana, M. Wieczorek, I. Avram

29

Gate

and Doorway

Designed: C. Comanoaea, I. Avram, M. Wieczorek, L. Oana, R. Grumeza

30

The People

31

Irina AVRAM, Romania

Jörg Rainer NOENNIG, Germany

Costas

COMANOAEA, Romania

Sorin

Vlad

PREDESCU, Romania

Takaaki

TERUUCHI, Japan / Germany

Leo THUMA, Germany

Radu

GRUMEZA, Romania

Liviu

OANA, Romania

Michael WIECZOREK, Germany / Romania

Manole

OLTEANU, Romania

Tetsuya

KOBAYASHI, Japan

Jelena Ivanovic

VOJVODIC, Serbia

Participants

2010

32

PAO on Stage

33

PAO People

34

Supporters

Thanks

to all Sponsors and Supporters

who

made

the

Pao.6 Summercamp in Potoc

possible:

Community of Sasca Montana

Ion POPLICEAN

Mayor of Sasca

Montana and Potoc

Romanian Orthodox Church

Andrei VALCU

Priest of Potoc

Dresden University of Technology

Center for

Knowledge

Architecture

Dresden, Zellerscher Weg 17

www.wissensarchitektur.net

Megatrend University Belgrade

Graduate

School of Art and Design

Belgrade, Bulevar

Umetnosti

29

www.fudmegatrend.net

Polytechnic University of Timisoara

Faculty

of Architecture

Timisoara, Str. Traian

Lalescu

2a

www.arh.upt.ro

Fundatia Rubin Mr. Stelian

Cirt

Spectos GmbH Dresden Mr. Niels Delater

And all the people from Potoc

PAO.6 in Potoc

/ Romania

was organised

and directed

by

Michael Wieczorek

35

Outlook

36

Future of the

Potoc

ProjectAfter a summer

full

of workshop: As is

now?Back in Timisoara, the

PAO troop

from

Potoc

is

about

to start an association

in order to enter

a lease contract

about

the

school

with

the

community. Main objective

is

the

set-up

of a creative

institution

with

an international expert

network. For that, the

2010 PAO.6 Summerschool

laid

the

corner

brick. Now, we

apply

for

EU funding

programmes. Informations

about

further

workshops

and events

will be

distributed

via PAO´s

website

and blog.

37

PAO Books

PAO TUDpress

2006

ISBN 3-938863-58-7

160 Pages

PAO 2 Experimental Architecture TUDpress

2007 ISBN 978-3-940046-26-0 250 Pages

PAO 3 Architectural Bootcamp TUDpress

2008 ISBN 978-3-940046-84-0 650 Pages

PAO 4 How to Design and Build a Micromuseum in two weeks TUDpress 2009 ISBN 978-3-941298-23-1

480 Pages (2 Vol.)

incl. 240 Playing Cards

PAO 5 Making Time. Memes of Potoc TUDpress 2010 ISBN 978-3-941298-23-1

600 Pages

38

Homepage www.pao-project.org

Blog www.prepaodesign.blogspot.com

Email paoproject@gmail.com

PAO GERMANY Jörg Rainer Noennig

TU Dresden Theresienstraße 19

01097 Dresden

PAO ROMANIA Michael Wieczorek

c/o I. Taranu

Str. Hebe, Nr.1, Sc. B, Ap.18

300481 Timisoara