A creative hub that also happens to house a social bistrot, event and co-working spaces?
FABER, the capacity building, has it all!
The initiative is the brainchild of a group of entrepreneurs from Timișoara, Romania, who wanted to rekindle the legacy of the local industry while also incorporating a deep social & cultural wellbeing framework.
It was selected as one of the 30 finalists of the New European Bauhaus prizes for completed projects in the "Buildings renovated in a spirit of circularity" category.
Before its conception, FABER was a 2500sqm-abandoned manufacturing building that housed many industries and spanned many decades since its establishment in 1844. It's the city's first industrial complex of its kind that has undergone a comprehensive makeover.
The architectural intervention leveraged the industrial character ? of the existing structure to transform it into an inclusive community building place for all, by using simple materials and working imaginatively with large-scale gestures.
As a result, 90% of the spaces have been constructed to be wheelchair accessible. Today, 50% of the interior space is fully accessible, with the remaining 50% to become accessible by the end of 2025.
The project's main protagonists are the repurposing aspect of the initiative and fostering a community of artists & creators. Both facets serve as an inspiration for how architectonical design can add value to the continuous adaptation of our cities to the years ahead and how space can positively influence collaborative efforts & growth. ?
FABER has become a venue where citizens can develop, experiment, and materialize their ideas; perform, present or show concepts and products, brainstorm and collaborate, meet, eat, drink ?, or relax for the afternoon—all within the refurbished structure.
The overall purpose of the bottom-up project is to connect the entire EU to major local industries and initiatives geared toward creative power, innovation, and the long-term development of local communities.
FABER is about civic responsibility, the value of creativity & the power of coming together.
? © European Union
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- Reference
- Prizes 2021, Award Finalist
- Project locations
- Timisoara, Romania