The map is a first step to reclaim our space and cities. Generational differences are drawn in thick lines, and belonging lies in a foggy zone in our minds. The digital area gives us the impression of ambiguity and perfection at the same time, becoming an area of uncertainty. Neighborhoods, streets and icons are changing at a rapid pace. Inspired by the ease with which parents and grandparents used to gather and talk without virtual help, the map gives us reason to connect stories and feelings.
National
Romania
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It addresses urban-rural linkages
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
Exploring a city is one of the constant processes that fulfills us. It provides us with the dose of resilience needed to communicate better with each other. But lately, this process seems like a hobby for the few and a system we can no longer connect to. Born in Bucharest, I realized how important a healthy connection is between history, on the one hand, and modernism, on the other, imprinting my mental map piece by piece. Inspired by the ease with which two different generations - parents and grandparents - talked about the same streets and buildings without any virtual help, I found the precision with which they expressed mesmerizing.
The footprint map is a first step to reclaim our space and cities. Generational differences are drawn in thick lines, and belonging lies in a foggy zone in our minds. The digital area gives us the impression of ambiguity and perfection at the same time, becoming an area of uncertainty. By mapping the footprint I wanted to bring closer to playfulness, assertiveness and knowledge for young people and old people a reason to tell stories. Neighborhoods, streets, intersections and gathering centers are changing at a rapid pace, leaving us to keep up with the changes. Although the drawing started only from the capital of Romania, it quickly found its place in people's hearts, the map appearing in the exhibition Bucharest 3017 (Wolfhouse Productions, Bucharest) and then being selected for the printing of the first French version of the book Solenoid (by Mircea Cărtărescu, Les Editions Noir sur Blanc publishing house, Zurich); I believe that the project can mean more for the whole country.
The map is envisioned as the first physical community object. The objective is that each town hall will be able to be part of the process of mapping the footprints of Romanian cities, the desire being to create a network of footprints that will bring back a part of that much needed feeling of belonging.
Generations
Footprint
Assertiveness
Belonging
Connection
For a beautiful future to which we can aspire, the sustainability factor plays a very important role. The map helps outline a common goal, based on the past and focused on the future, which will help people to co-exist over a long period of time. After 30 years after leaving communism, the Romanian society takes hard steps every day to co-exist with the empty past - devoid of tradition and religion - and the unclear European geo-political connections. Families continue to split up because of work across borders, and people flee the country and are left with a deepening soul void. The concept of the map comes from the desire to unite the mother from the country with the daughter from across the borders, the father from the construction sites outside with the sons left to study in the country.
The drawing of the map represents a line for each member of the Romanian community in each European country, each thought of longing that we do not get to convey, each direction that we follow for well-being, each family relationship that we want to keep close.
The key objectives of the concept in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people are: creating/sustaining the feeling of belonging, defining the purpose of each working day, patience for a beautiful, whole and fulfilled life.
A line is created by joining two points. By changing the scale of the drawing, we decrease the points and create shapes. Each person represents a point, and the data and statistics that help us create concepts abstracts the existence of each person in various situations. The present drawing is a moment of meditation, and the chosen city - Bucharest - is a good example of the overlap of emotions, work and determination that complement good mood and professionalism. The lines that carry the eye from one neighborhood to another, jump over boulevards and pass through parks offer a small break and a dose of patience.
The key objectives of the concept in terms of inclusion are: inclusive design, digital library, universal use. Having a digital library with the maps for each city can be a very easy to use concept of integrity, inclusiveness and common scope target for the governing systems. This concept can be used as a common ground for all political parties and can become an icon for sustainable communities.
From its first public appearance, the map gathered people offering them a moment of respite. Appearing for the first time at the Museum 3017 exhibition, the map was the visitors' canvas to rediscover the city and the urban scale. Then, it arrived in people's homes in the form of prints of various sizes, and found its place on the cover of the novel Solenoid, by Mircea Cărtărescu, published by Les Edition Noir Sur Blanc (Zurich, Switzerland). The appearance of the map became an icon, a moment of melancholy, childhood memories (also inspired by Romanian childhood fairy tales) and a vision of the future.
The initial concept of the map was the creation of the first digital map of the city of Bucharest. The inhabitants of the city saw how the streets, the light and the vegetation changed alarmingly compared to the images they had from childhood. The madness of aligning ourselves with the West contradicted the digitization capacity after the end of the communist regime. The process of updating the general urban plan was delayed for decades, and people lost contact with the city. Instead, there were problems, nerves and stories that only brought stress and fear to families. From this tight, common knot of the city's inhabitants, the process of redefining the map of the city of Bucharest started, in order to distance ourselves from the details that do not govern our lives and to remember our everyday purpose in doing good, sharing the beauty of kindness and assertiveness.
The design team has only one member. However, the map was inspired by readings in the field of urban planning and architecture, and the drawing itself was created with the help of Google Maps and Photoshop.
The innovative character of the design is a drawing inspired by simple shapes close to the footprints of pedestrians, which offers the user a language that can bring them closer to cities. We could thus look at the land and future investments from a smaller scale perspective, without the distance between the architect, urban planner, user and government programs.
This first drawing is an exmaple with which the project can pe transferred to a wider group. For example, the map of Bucharest will be shared with city halls, thus inviting them to participate in this project, where the beneficiary is the citizen.
Represented by a digital drawing, the dimensions and materials on which it can be used have no limits.
The concept offers every citizen the opportunity to keep his favorite place closer to his heart. In a diverse and constantly moving world, we quickly forget where we come from and where we want to go. Therefore, a local solution is for children who can participate in drawing parts of the city map through workshops and drawing lessons and play, together with their parents or educators, thus contributing with their mark. Memories and own experiences are the greatest tools of this concept.
