Redefining the Identity of the Ruins of the Former Republican Stadium in Chișinău

Authors’ Comment

The aim of the diploma project is to investigate approaches to intervention within the architectural heritage of the Soviet period—architecture which, theoretically, does not usually meet the criteria for classification as a historical monument, yet can nevertheless be representative of a specific period in history. Such an example can be found on the outskirts of Chișinău’s historic centre, where a five-hectare “void” still preserves the memory of a stadium associated with Socialist Realism. The intervention seeks to introduce a new function to the site through the adaptive reuse of the former stadium administration building and the reinterpretation of the stadium stands as a Cultural Centre dedicated to the independent arts scene.

Three specific intervention zones can be distinguished within the ensemble: the central area, where the main football pitch was located; the stands; and the area between the stands and the perimeter wall. The intervention is guided by the following principles:
1. Creating a strong urban frontage along Mihail Kogâlniceanu Street, establishing a coherent final image for the street. The existing frontage is defined by the administrative building.
2. From this frontage towards București Street, the built mass gradually becomes more dispersed, dissolving into a park landscape.
3. Restoring the valuable elements of the site: the ceremonial entrances, the footprint of the stands, the administrative building, and the office block.
The central area revolves around the Cultural Centre and is conceived as a public, active space. To further facilitate public access into the ensemble, the perimeter wall is removed. The existing row of mature poplar trees is consequently extended, creating a permeable perimeter edge that preserves a sense of enclosure while allowing visual and physical connections with the surrounding city.
The stands zone contains the main new intervention—the Cultural Centre—positioned on the footprint of the western stands, adjacent to the administrative building. Its architectural volume is generated by two circular ramps. The two ramps are positioned side by side and are separated by a transparent articulation element.
The area between the stands and the perimeter wall contains various elements that undergo restoration, adaptive reuse, and completion. The frontages along the four surrounding streets respond to the character and scale of their respective contexts. Along Mihail Kogâlniceanu Street, the frontage is completed with volumes matching the height of the administrative building and mirroring the composition of the opposite street frontage. Along Tighina and Ismail Streets, the gates become the dominant architectural elements, preserving and reinforcing the identity of the place.