RIBA Client Adviser case study: Coresi, Brasov (Romania)
Project title: Coresi, Brasov (Romania)
RIBA Client Adviser: Ioana Lupas
Client Advice and Technical Services team: YRM & Planwerk (masterplanning)
Project type: Masterplanning & Commercial
Project value: Classified
This development has now (2018) been realised to a significant degree and includes a retail zone, residential area and business park set within landscaped surroundings.
Following years of under-investment and economic decline, in July 2007 the Romanian government sold at auction the assets of the defunct Brasov UTB tractor factory, in central Romania. These assets included a heritage building and industrial shed constructions from the 1920s to the 1980s. The site was acquired by a management company with no development or construction experience. Located in the heart of Transylvania and with the 120 ha site representing 10% of the city of Brasov, the former industrial site presented a unique opportunity for a mixed-use urban regeneration development.
Key learning
Having been embedded within a client organisation and responsible for commissioning work from a variety of consultants, Ioana saw the client’s perspective on complex projects. Ioana learnt how developer clients themselves have layers of responsibilities: their own “clients”, i.e. future tenants, on the one hand, and funders and investors on the other, each with their own competing needs often requiring targeted communication. Working as an architect in a non-architectural team, Ioana managed to communicate more clearly and translate architectural concepts into objective monetary, marketing and legal language.
Ioana's role included technical assistance to win European Funds for new infrastructure, which enabled the partial sale of the site to Immochan, the real estate arm of the French supermarket chain Auchan, who subsequently developed the leading shopping mall in the region, based on our preparatory regulatory masterplan work. This released value from the site and funds to unlock the development of a new 11 ha Business Park on the remainder of the site, for which Ioana was instrumental, including the delivery of around 25,000 m2 BREEAM rated converted offices for IBM, Banque Paribas, Raiffeisen Band and other multinational tenants. Upon returning to London, Ioana continued to advise on new-build multi-tenanted projects on the site.
“When we were contemplating the new-built elements of the masterplan, it was a no-brainer to ask Ioana for support in formulating the briefs and specifications for the local design team. With Ioana in London and the project in Romania, we made the most of Skype and email communications, which helped us focus on efficiency in the process.” - Silviu Savin, Founding Partner, Ascenta Partners
RIBA accredited Client Advisers are experienced architects that can provide impartial and informed advice from the earliest stages of your project. Find out more about why a Client Adviser may be right for your project, how to choose one, and read more case study examples.
