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Radu Tîrcă and Ștefania Hîrleață are students at University of Architecture and Urbanism 'Ion Mincu', Bucharest. At present, they lead their theoretical research on the subject of thermal towns and diploma projects in Govora Baths under the guidance of Stefan Simion, Irina Tulbure and Ilinca Paun Constantinescu. As students, they won second prize and best student project in a BeeBreeders international architecture competition - Mango Vynil Hub, third prize in a Zeppelin national competition - Prototip pentru comunitate, as well as other mentions in other competitions.
MAZZOCCHIOO #7
How will migration influence architecture and the city?
In doing my profession, I’m seeking [..] a certain balance between my desire to be rooted into one place and that of being an emigrant, in other words, between the desire to share a specific reality and at the same time that of fleeing it.
Aurelio Galfetti
Migration dates back as long as humanity. During history, migration has been the outcome of either difficult or tragic situations – forcing people to leave their home places and seek refuge elsewhere, due to reasons such as political persecution, violence, natural disasters; yet, migration has also emerged out of people’s planned aspirations for a better life.
In the context of Fading Borders, Romania’s Pavilion at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia, Mazzocchioo chose to address this latter positive migration that mirrors people’s aspirations for a better life – as reflected by architects’ thoughts and imaginary by answering the question How Will Migration Change Architecture and the City?.
MZCH deliberately invited architects from various countries and continents as migration is by definition an international affair of multiple viewpoints. Especially today, when we live in the age of the global city where people are aware of the realities from distant parts of the world, migration can also be perceived as the visible manifestation of local cultures coming together within personal stories.