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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.
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Symbols of migration
The meaning of these two monuments are deeply marked by migration and by ideological attitude towards immigrants or emigrants.
When France decided to give the other world’s great democracy a gift, they designed and built The Statue of Liberty in Paris. So the statue itself traveled across the ocean before being placed on Liberty Island. Intentional or not, this was a fated gesture for what was to become the Statue of Liberty after dedication - an icon of freedom, seen as a symbol of welcome to immigrants arriving by sea.
On the other hand, the image of Berlin is strongly related to anti-migration representations. Until 1961, the Berlin sector border was essentially a loophole through which Eastern Bloc citizens could still escape. After the Wall was erected as a measure of restraint against migration, it became a solid and incisive border that physically symbolized the entire Iron Curtain – the eastern limit of democracy. The presence of the Wall is still strong in meaning even though it has been physically destroyed.
Images:
[1] The Statue of Liberty mounted in central Paris (1886)
[2] Berlin wall map
