The former building of the Sector 1 City Hall in Piața Amzei, known during the interwar period as the Yellow Palace, has reopened its doors to the public with the opening of the “deGalben” exhibition — a first step in its transformation into an active cultural and social center dedicated to the Bucharest community. The event marks the concrete launch of an unprecedented urban regeneration initiative: converting a former administrative space into a creative hub, through a collaboration between the Sector 1 City Hall and the Romanian Order of Architects – Bucharest Branch.

The exhibition features architectural proposals submitted in response to the call for ideas “A center for new beginnings”, including the winning project by alt.Corp studio. It serves as a preview of the future Piața Amzei Urban Innovation Center. More than just a selection of plans and renderings, “deGalben” presents a new vision for how urban spaces can be reclaimed, activated, and dedicated to creativity and community life.

During the opening, five representatives from institutional and creative sectors involved in the project spoke, highlighting the role of this urban transformation and the symbolic reopening of the Yellow Palace.

 “This is your merit — the merit of the entire community that has stood its ground and continues to do so, ever since this building was established and served as a local town hall and community cultural center. And here we are, the spirit has been preserved. The architectural heritage of the area obliges us to highlight its value,” said George Tuță, the mayor of Sector 1. 

Referring to the creative potential of the space, he added:

 “What matters most is that we want — and this is something we cannot do alone — a community of creative people, people who are growing a creative industry that is increasingly recognized worldwide. If we were to organize an exhibition with all the awards won by people in the creative industries, we probably wouldn’t have enough space to display them all.” 

Emil Ivănescu, president of the Romanian Order of Architects – Bucharest Branch, emphasized the value of the partnership and the unique nature of the transformation:

 “When the mayor of Sector 1 told me about this initiative, I immediately said we had to be here and support it, because it is the first administrative space in Bucharest being transformed into a cultural and creative space. I think it’s also one of the first such initiatives in Romania. We’re talking about heritage, we’re talking about history, and at the same time, we’re talking about very modern, contemporary uses for today’s people. I believe this is the first time we’re seeing impactful actions built step by step, with carefully planned resources.”“Since 2016, we’ve been discussing the role of the Piața Amzei area and the potential function and humanization of the building. We never imagined we’d be able to talk about this project — about Piața Amzei — from inside this very building,” said Andrei Borțun, president of The Institute. 

The winning team from alt.Corp shared their motivation behind setting up the exhibition:

 “The fact that this will become a cultural center is one dimension of the city hall’s initiative. But what matters most is that this building will become a public space, and Piața Amzei will reclaim it. This proves that a public space doesn’t necessarily mean open air — a public space can also have walls, tall windows, and coffered ceilings.” 

The exhibition is open to visitors until August 17, Monday through Friday, between 10:00 AM and 8:00 PM.

The event aimed not only to showcase the architectural proposals to the public but also to spark reflection on how public spaces can be reactivated to benefit the community and the cultural life of the city. The vernissage brought together architects, local government representatives, members of the creative community, opinion leaders, journalists, and citizens interested in Bucharest’s future.

Awarded projects

The call for ideas awarded the following projects:

• First Prize: alt.Corp – architects Alexandru-Cristian Beşliu, Octavian Bârsan, Cosmin O. Gălăţianu, Cosmin Georgescu, and Andrei Theodor Ioniţă
• Second Prize: architects Anca Diana Popescu and Sorin Vladimir Popescu (atelierform.eu)
• Third Prize: architect Ruben Pintea, together with architects Alexandru Ambrosa and Dragoş Andrei-Măzărîanu

In total, 21 architectural proposals were submitted to the competition, reflecting a wide range of perspectives on urban regeneration and heritage valorization.

deGALBEN – a preview of the future

The exhibition marks the beginning of a series of initiatives to reactivate Piaţa Amzei and the former administrative building at Amzei no. 13. The exhibition space — referred to as Sala pașilor pierduți ("The Hall of Lost Steps") in the architectural project — will be transformed into a center for exhibitions, events, and cultural dialogue as part of the future Piaţa Amzei Urban Innovation Center.

The deGalben exhibition is part of the Creative Quarter (Cartierul Creativ) project, presented by Banca Transilvania and supported by the Sector 1 City Hall. Creative Quarter is an initiative by The Institute that aims to drive urban regeneration by activating creative industries and local communities.

The exhibition also marks the first public collaboration between Sector 1 City Hall, OAR Bucharest (the Romanian Order of Architects – Bucharest Branch), and The Institute, with the support of the architectural studio alt.Corp (Alexandru-Cristian Beşliu, Octavian Bârsan, Cosmin O. Gălăţianu, Cosmin Georgescu, Andrei Theodor Ioniţă) — authors of the winning project.

Amzei is part of the Creative Quarter’s broader urban positioning and regeneration efforts — a creative ecosystem in the heart of Bucharest. This initiative by The Institute seeks to highlight and amplify the impact of creative industries, cultural organizations, and artistic projects in the area. It aims to enhance quality of life and reshape Bucharest’s narrative by promoting the city’s vibrant local creative scene.

Written by News.ro | 28 iulie 2025, 12:16