The 2018 edition of the Timișoara Architecture Biennial tackled the theme of housing, offering both a critical analysis of collective housing in Romania from the 1950s to the present and a constructive dialogue—alongside key stakeholders—about the future: what is desirable and how we can build this desirable future for collective housing.

Working closely with the exhibition curators (Ideilagram), we were involved throughout 2018 in conducting the research “About Living,” which formed the foundation of the curatorial concept, the central exhibition, and the debates and related events that took place between September 28 and October 28, 2018, in Timișoara. A summary of this research can be found in the biennial’s central exhibition brochure, titled “About Living: Collective Housing, Between Product and Process,” which you can browse here.

Romania ranks at the bottom of the EU-28 in terms of access to quality housing (via European Housing Exclusion Index), and the current housing supply fails to meet actual market demand. When we talk about viable cities, we’re also talking about cities that offer residents a chance at a higher standard of living and quality of life. This is why we’re concerned with housing issues, their history, and how public policies influence—or could influence—housing quality. Perhaps this explains why we focused the housing research for the BETA 2018 curatorial project on the relationships between the main actors influencing Romania’s housing situation and the principles that could reverse the declining trend in housing quality. Refocusing on the resident and understanding the sector’s dynamics, including its history, are just some of the principles proposed by the MKBT team involved in the project.

During the biennial, we also contributed to the debate on housing quality by organizing a conference –  “Affordable Homes, Integrated Policies” (Case accesibile, politici integrate), featuring international experts and a high level of debate and inspiration ensured by French, German, and Danish case studies in the fields of planning and access to quality housing.

• What is the relationship between urban planning and housing?
• What role do public administration and private actors play in improving collective housing quality?
• How can development and management mechanisms for residential areas be harmonized to achieve better housing?

These were among the topics debated on Friday, October 12, 2018, with speakers including Laurence Hohn (Counselor for Housing, Urbanism and Landscape Directorate of the French Ministry of Territorial Cohesion), Christophe Ouhayoun (architect at Koz Architectes, Paris), and Ditte Amskov (Senior Project Manager, International Federation for Housing and Planning – IFHP).

The research and event organization were funded by OAR Timiș Branch, the organizers of the Timișoara Architecture Biennial.