Bucium Summer University 2026, 14th Edition. Safeguarding Rural Heritage through Education

Authors: arh. int. Mihaela Lazăr, ist. art. Iozefina Postăvaru, arh. Gabriel Panasiu, arh. Cristia Chira, arh. int. Dan Adrian Ionescu, arh. Matei Cristian, arh. Dragoș Băbeanu, arh. Radu Bogdan Alexandru, arh. int. Roxana Mitarcă, restaurator Raluca Mocanu, ing. Elena Dinu, antrop. Roșu Georgiana Valentina
Firm: Asociația Rencontres du Patrimoine Europe Roumanie

Collaborators: GRAFICĂ- Olteanu Teodora Cristina, UAUIM, STUDENȚI, Bucur Miruna — studentă, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Bratu Damian — student, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Gomoescu Flavia — studentă, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Jilăveanu Filip — student, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Bădescu Irina — studentă, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Oprea Diana — studentă, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Ciolan Miruna — studentă, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Aldea Sofia — studentă, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, David Sofia — studentă, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Turcu Mirela — studentă, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Gheorghe Mihai Bogdan — absolvent, Cristea Antonio — absolvent, Secția Arhitectură de Interior, UAUIM, Cutlac Emma-Maria — studentă, Facultatea de Sociologie și Asistență Socială, Universitatea din București, Neacșu Diana Nicoleta — studentă, Facultatea de Sociologie și Asistență Socială, Universitatea din București, Beșleagă Antonia — studentă, Facultatea de Sociologie și Asistență Socială, Universitatea din București, Ciobanu Georgiana-Elena — studentă, Facultatea de Sociologie și Asistență Socială, Universitatea din București, Dudulea Raluca Andreea — studentă, Facultatea de Sociologie și Asistență Socială, Universitatea din București

Photo: Autor grafică: Teodora Cristina Olteanu, Iozefina Postăvaru, Mihai Bogdan Gheorghe, Flavia Gomoescu, Teodora Cristina Olteanu, Filip Jilăveanu, Miruna Bucur, Sofia Aldea, Antonio Cristea, Aldea Sofia, Mihao Gheorghe, Mihaela Lazăr

Authors’ Comment

BUCIUM SUMMER UNIVERSITY
Rural Heritage between Research, Experimentation and Community
RPER – Rencontres du Patrimoine Europe–Roumanie | 14th Edition, 2026
Initiated in 2011 by the RPER – Rencontres du Patrimoine Europe–Roumanie Association, the Bucium Summer University is a research, education and hands-on intervention programme dedicated to the rural heritage of the Apuseni Mountains. Over its fourteen editions, students, architects, historians, conservators and local craftspeople have worked together to document traditional architecture, preserve valuable historic buildings and transmit local building techniques.
The 2026 edition continued the study of Bucium’s built heritage through architectural surveys, field observations, photographic documentation and practical workshops.
One of the main sites investigated was the former Primary School in Izbita, a building closely connected to the history of the local community and to the memory of Ecaterina Varga. Students carried out a complete architectural survey using direct measurements, sketches and photography. The spatial configuration, construction system, façades, materials and main forms of deterioration were recorded. The resulting documentation provides a basis for assessing the building’s state of conservation and for defining future rehabilitation and adaptive reuse interventions.
Research also focused on the Church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Izbita, a listed historic monument and an important landmark of the village. Measurements, architectural surveys and photographic documentation of both the exterior and interior were undertaken, with particular attention to the structure, materials, timber elements, tower, iconostasis and visible deterioration. The analysis also considered the relationship between the church, the cemetery and the surrounding built landscape.
In parallel, students documented traditional households and buildings in Bucium, examining the organisation of the ensembles, the relationship between houses and outbuildings, local materials, construction systems and changes that occurred over time. Architectural surveying was used not only as a method of representation, but also as a tool for understanding vernacular architecture.
The practical component of the Summer University included wooden-shingle workshops and interventions on traditional bread ovens. During the shingle workshop, participants followed the process from timber selection to splitting and shaping the pieces, using traditional tools and learning the principles of roof installation. Working alongside local craftspeople enabled a direct understanding of a building technique that is transmitted primarily through practice.
The workshops dedicated to traditional bread ovens focused on their documentation, repair and reactivation. Their form, materials and construction methods were analysed, while the practical work included preparing materials, repairing deteriorated areas and testing their functionality.
Architectural surveying, direct observation and hands-on work bring participants closer to the materials, techniques and people of the place, while heritage is understood as a living resource that can be preserved through knowledge, use and transmission to future generations.