Team: Constantin MEDARU, Dragoș Emil MIRON-CIOLACU, Alexandra PRĂJAN 
Location: 17 Colonel Langa St, Iasi (RO) 
Built Area: 2300 sqm 
Stage: Completed 

Situated on the upper cornice of the Bahlui River, in the heart of the city, the building enjoys a privileged position within the silhouette of the historic center. The context is dominated by the administrative pavilions of the Metropolitanate of Moldavia and Bukovina, built in the mid-20th century according to G.M. Cantacuzino’s final design, in a classical language inspired by Palladian principles. 

The project shapes its identity through a dual gesture: respect for the historic fabric and the affirmation of a contemporary language. Two intersecting volumes are distinguished both chromatically and by their degree of transparency: a D+G+3F body embraced on three sides by a D+G+2F volume. The latter, featuring curtain wall façades combined with ventilated ceramic panels, establishes a visual dialogue with the pavilions by reinterpreting their proportions. 

The façade, perceived as a continuation of the pavilions, was initially conceived to dissolve the contemporary expression into the classical one. Following consultations with the Zonal Commission for Historical Monuments in Iași, a clearer distinction was drawn between solid and glazed areas, leaving the transition to be subtly suggested to the viewer. 

A comparative analysis between old and new reveals precise correspondences: the opaque basement, the monumental register, and the rhythm of vertical openings all find their echo in the suspended floors above the glazed ground level, where shadowbox elements recall the original proportions. 

The perforated panel introduced at the first-floor level, both in the parapet area and in the shadowbox zone, was proposed by the architect as the business center’s logo and represents an original interpretation of decorative motifs identified within the studied context. 

Passive Schüco shading systems, arranged vertically on the southeast façade and horizontally at the top level, provide not only solar protection but also a subtle transition between solid and transparent surfaces. Behind this elegance, the technical solutions highlight the flexibility of the curtain wall system, integrating complex elements without compromising coherence. 

Constructing the façade was a technical challenge. The architectural solutions relied on the adaptability of curtain wall systems, which allowed the integration of all defining design elements. The use of the ventilated cladding system for the opaque areas ensured a discreet presence that does not contradict the historic façades adorned with classical moldings.