The extension of the Cluj county council aims to be a symbol of institutional transparency, a precedent of sustainable architecture and a catalyst for urban regeneration.
Luis Aguirre
Razvan Brezoianu
Maria Matea
Diego Linares
Location: Cluj, Romania
GFA: 5900 sqm
Client: Cluj County Council
The intervention includes the remodel and extension of the existing building, the enhancement of the urban landscape and the improvement of the institutional appearance.
The new scheme extends to one side of the plot to provide additional offices and a new generous multifunctional space while the overall structure is wrapped with a facade system that transforms the image of the County.
A pathway connects the street on the upper side of the plot with the front facade, providing additional pedestrian access for the public. This promenade not only makes the building more approachable and accessible for the people but also aims to create a sense of public space, allowing everyone to make use of the building and engaging with the local community.
The entrance at ground level, in contrast, becomes more institutional, where a new ramp and stairs are covered by a generous and protective canopy that extends in a welcoming gesture.
The building facade unifies both the existing and the new building with a cost-effective, permeable and lightweight wrapping skin that offers sun protection and greenery.
This low-maintenance vertical garden provides a more comfortable, productive and appropriate internal work environment while communicates the image of a modern and friendly government building to the city.
The structural system of the new extension adapts to the existing grid to provide a modular framework in line with the underground carpark.
Above this space, the landscape design integrates the building with the adjacent green areas, providing a layer of greenery that extends towards the upper road of the site.