LASZLOFFY HOUSE
The town of Gherla stands out as a notable exception to the unwritten rule of urban laissez-faire: it is the only town in Transylvania founded in the 18th century according to a predetermined plan, established by Armenian settlers who had sought refuge there. Moreover, it was built in a distinctly Baroque style. Baroque urbanism is characterized by a scenographic approach to planning, defined by a comprehensive and carefully ordered system of streets and squares.
Within this remarkable urban ensemble, the Lászlóffy House, bearing the Magyarized name of the Armenian Vasilian family, occupies a central position along the residential street frontage of Ulița Apei, the town’s main access route. As a landmark of a distinctive urban culture established in a predominantly agricultural region, the Lászlóffy House also holds memorial significance, having once housed an Armenian Catholic boys’ secondary school and a youth club.
Its current function as the town museum provided the impetus for the restoration of the building, which had fallen into an advanced state of disrepair. The intervention sought to preserve as much of the original fabric as possible, including the building’s volume, façade detailing and artistic elements.
The street-facing composition is restrained and relatively planar, reflecting the rigour of Baroque architecture. It is defined by the pairing of the two-storey, four-bay main building and its roof with a monumental, characteristically Baroque portal, richly ornamented. Busts depicting Turkish warriors, placed atop the portal’s broken pediment, introduce an exotic element into the façade decoration.
Location Gherla, Cluj County, Romania
Client public commission
Year 2021
Status built
Collaborators arh. Zsuzsanna Szilagyi Bartha, ing. Imola Kirizsan
Photography viewcatchers
The view from the inner courtyard reveals a more dynamic composition, structured around three classical elements: a major vertical accent corresponding to the circular staircase tower, a secondary vertical accent formed by the main residential building, and a horizontal accent defined by the annex. At the intersection of these three directions, a new volume accommodating public access has been inserted, acting as a formal articulation with a neutral architectural expression.
The annex allowed for the most extensive interventions. The removal of sections of masonry revealed an exceptional portico, whose arches introduce rhythm into the spatial composition.
The interior was expanded and made more dynamic by bringing the attic into use and introducing a metal walkway. This intervention made it possible to create a shared space dedicated to cultural activities, gatherings and temporary exhibitions.
A project of this kind is defined by the discretion, and above all the coherence, of its details. Preliminary investigations revealed a complex configuration, including concealed mural paintings, stone window and door surrounds buried within the masonry, and door and window openings that had been blocked over time.
The intervention mediates between multiple layers: the flamboyant Baroque and ubiquitous technological systems, the stratigraphic palimpsest and smooth contemporary surfaces, the established existing fabric and the valuable discoveries that may emerge during construction. Last but not least, it seeks to balance pragmatic and conceptual considerations, distinguishing between what can be restored today and what should be preserved for future generations.