Industrial preservation in post socialist countries - Heritage at risk in Romania

The goal of this research is to delve into and explore the restoration and re-use of the Romanian architectural industrial heritage in the context of denial, seeking possibilities of changing the negative social perception and trying to uncover the appropriation and recognition of these artefacts. The acknowledgement of the heritage at risk and the identification of the values and indicators that can create a national classification, are ways in which the past can be recognised and preserved, while the heritage is not lost or damaged.This historical research explores the common perception about the Romanian industrial archaeology through a comparison of the Western and Eastern European preservation approaches, and an introspection of successful and unsuccessful cases and prospects for future approaches. The focus will be on Romania, a post-socialist East European country that faces a severe denial of the heritage authenticity that is often seen through ‘post regime’ lenses. The actual derelict state of the industrial heritage and the re-use/adapt/restore approaches or to be more precise - lack of – are issues that need to be addressed and exploredAR2A011Architectural History ThesisArchitecture, Urbanism and Building Science