Communist-era Developments in Romanian Town Centres – Issues of Identity and Cultural Relevance

Abstract

As most of the built heritage from the socialist-communist era is usually deemed “impersonal”, “lacking” in cultural references and in cultural identity (or just “totalitarian” in that sense), otherwise “cheap”, “simplistic”, “cold”, too economical and functionalistic, this paper searches for a “cultural identity” that may be harder to spot beneath the obvious totalitarian feel. Surprisingly or not, some of the communist-era town centres (the one in Satu Mare, for instance) actually relate to some elements of cultural identity and tradition in built form – and this would be an important result of the research. Also, the research tries to spot some cultural and identity-related references in the political and professional discourse on architecture and urban planning in the communist era, as to understand the views on cultural identity that the communist rulers – and the “professionals” they used to carry out their politics with, such as architects, urban planners or technicians – used to have. Yet again, surprisingly or not, some politicians and professionals actually had some sort of a
“cultural agenda” that would go beyond the obvious communist and totalitarian rhetoric, therefore searching for a style (a national style, a regional style) in the design of the new central areas of towns and cities.