“Linden Romance”, a Sustainable Urban Rehabilitation Project on the Banks of Bahlui

The article presents a proposal for the placement of workshop modules for visual artists and artisans from Iasi on the left banks of the Bahlui River. Here, the artists will conduct their creative activities and also fulfill the function of exhibition and sale. Ample decks link the modules between them and with the river, creating the premises for a wide range of open-air activities.The Bahlui River that flows through the city of Iasi is currently the object of a major project for riverbed consolidation in order to prevent floods, thus offering the opportunity to rehabilitate this site with landscaping that would better integrate the river with the town. The path, on the banks of the river, on the section connecting the Podu Ros neighborhood to the Tudor Vladimirescu complex is rather monotonous. Apart from benefiting from the intense pedestrian traffic, the goal for the modules’ placement is to achieve a space to mark the youthful character of the area, and that would constitute a landmark. The concept behind the project is the linden tree. The location’s natural landscape is embellished by the presence of linden trees, so, with this project, it was intended to mimic and reflect this symbol in a modern manner, incorporating it in architecture with an exposed structure that interprets this pattern. The article presents an analysis of the location, a review of tendencies for landscape design on the banks of rivers and integration of natural motifs in architecture as well as a detailed presentation of the “Linden Romance” project, focusing on urban rehabilitation issues. Drawing from the successful experiences of other projects, the “Linden romance” project intends to give new life to an important path in the city.