EDUCATION
4CITIES – Euromaster in Urban Studies
Dates: Sept 2014 – Jul 2016
Institutions: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Universität Wien, KØbenhavns Universitet, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Website: www.4cities.eu
Masters in Architecture & Urban Planning
Dates: Sept 2011 – Jul 2013
Institution: “Ion Mincu” Architecture & Urban Planning University
Website: www.uauim.ro
Bachelor in Architecture & Urban Planning
Dates: Sept 2007 – Jul 2011
Institution: “Ion Mincu” Architecture & Urban Planning University
Website: www.uauim.ro
Project Management & European Fund Absorbtion Training Program
Dates: Jun 2012 – Sept 2012
Institution: EUROLINK – Europe House
ILM Level 5 Award in Leadership (Regeneration & Place-making)
Dates: Aug 2010 – Oct 2010
Institution: Homes and Communities Agency
“Green Building Professional” Certication
Institution: Romanian Green Building Council
Website: www.rogbc.org/en/certi cation-and-training-pro- gram/the-graduates
WORK EXPERIENCE
Vice-President and Founding Member
Organization: Poiana lui Iocan NGO
Date: Jan, 2013 – present
Location: Bucharest, RO
Description: Poiana lui Iocan is an interdisciplinary think-tank composed of international researcher in urban studies, architecture, sociology and marketing. Its main mission is to explore the role of contemporary design as a facilitator of new types of interactions that can lead to the development of new types of urban governance structures. Our projects focus on developing new tools meant to facilitate the understanding of complex “wikied problems” associated with contemporary urban planning.
Main projects:
Open Planning Office: Poiana lui Iocan @ Bucharest Annual Architecture Festival 2013
Mapping the City – Online and Offline Participatory Mapping Toolkit
Cinema Favorit – Pop-Up Community Led Cultural Center
Wembley Spatial Agency – Urban Development Information Office
Urboteca – Urban Living Lab for Contemporary Inclusive Governance Structures
Website: www.urboteca.ro
Graphic Designer
Organization: French Cultural Institute of Bucharest
Date: Jan, 2014 – Sept, 2014
Location: Bucharest, RO
Description: Lead designer for all of the activities and events undergone by the institute. I was in charge with developing the design and branding concepts for a series of music and film festivals as well as taking care of weekly and monthly publications for all the branches of the local institution.
Graphic Designer
Organization: Quartz Media Production
Date: Sept, 2013 – Mar, 2014
Location: Bucharest, RO
Description: Print and web design for cultural events.
Junior Researcher
Organization: Romanian Green Building Council
Date: Sept, 2012 – May, 2013
Location: Bucharest, RO
Description: Researcher for the “Romania’s Greenest Buildings” publication which analysed national trends in sustainable building projects and the development potential of the local real-estate market.
Research assistant for the “Building Greener Schools” Campaign focusing on methods of improving the quality of interior spaces in Romanian schools.
Research assistant – Living Building Challenge “Cacica Eco-Library” Project
RESEARCH & PUBLICATIONS
4Cities Master Thesis – The Re-birth of Company Towns: How Corporations are Reshaping Life, Work and Play in the City
Date: Jan, 2014 – Sept, 2016
Locations: Multiple
Description: Based on a mix of urban studies and future studies methodologies, the research looks at how contemporary economic trends and practices can create a new breath of corporate-led urban development typology and the rebirth of the company town model.
Website: www.corporatelandscapes.org
Research projects part of the 4Cities Program
Date: Dec 2015 – Jun, 2016
Locations: Multiple
Description:
Local Globalization Patterns – The Case of Bucharest- Ilfov Region in Romania
Urban Regeneration Programs – The Case of Neighborhood Contracts in Brussels
Social Inequality Patterns and their Geographical Distribution in Bucharest
Ghettoization in Post-Socialist Cities – The Case of Ferentari Area in Bucharest
What if Balkan Mayors Would Rule the World – The Case of Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade
Urban Living Labs in the Austrian context
A Geography of Hairdresser Salons in Vienna
British Virgin Islands – A demographic perspective
From City Station to Station City – An Analysis of the Current Design Trends in European Train Stations
Learning from Experience Economy Landscapes – The Case of Burning Man Festival and Black Rock City
An Evaluation Methodology for Industrial Heritage in Copenhagen
From Strategies and Tactics to Strategy-Tactics – A Cultural Studies Perspective
The City – A Users Guid
Date: Dec 2015
Location: Bucharest, RO
Web link: www.urboteca.ro/orasul-un-manual-de-utilizare/
Description: An educational manual developed for high school students that invites them to understand the urban context from an interdisciplinary playful perspective in 12 chapters on the economy, history, nature, art and governance of our contemporary cities.
Uncube Magazine – Local corespondent
Date: Nov, 2013 – Feb, 2016
Location: –
Web link: www.uncubemagazine.com
Description: Short blog contribution regarding the architecture and urban planning in the Balkans
Public Participation in Urban Planning Processes – Resources for Local Governments
Date: Oct 2013
Location: Bucharest, RO
Description: In 2010, a new law meant to establish a coherent framework for information and consultation regarding public works was set into place in Romania. The study analyses how this set of rules where implemented in 40 municipalities and proposes strategies for streamlining the process in the future.
WonderLab Exhibition – 24 Hours City – All Inclusive
Date: Aug 2013
Location: Vienna, AU
Web link: http://ww- w.azw.at/event.php?event_id=1375&lang_id=en
Description: My entry for the exhibition concerned new types of architecture practices where the architect and the architecture object plays the role of the mediator, negotiating the step by step implementation process and taking an active role in designing the space around an ever changing open innovation business plan for creative clusters.
Architecture Master Thesis – Industrial Heritage Adaptive Reuse in the context of Urban Regeneration and Creative Clusters
Date: Jul 2013
Location: Bucharest, RO
Description: Theoretical paper focused on understanding the economic and public policy environment in which adaptive reuse can become benefficial for future city development. A large part of the study is focused on actor-network analysis and real estate forecasting for the near future as well as the new opportunities offered by Creative Clusters as means of creating long-term local economic growth.
Future of the City – ECO REHAB 3 – Mass Housing Estates or Multifamily Housing Complexes (insert)
Date: Jul 2013
Location: Krakow, PL
Web link: http://issuu.com/adolfo.sotoca/docs/2013eco
Description: Report outlining opportunities of upgradeing existing Mass Housing Estates around Europe (based on research data collected during the three workshops organized in Bucharest, Barcelona and Krakow.
ARCHITECTURE & URBAN PLANNING
Idrija+ Urban Development Strategy
Date: Mar, 2016 – Jul, 2016
Location: Idrija, SI
Web link: www.tbi.si
Description: An alternative urban development vision for the small former mining town of Idrija, Slovenia. Through an interdisciplinary approach, we have developed a “periodic table of elements” that transforms the city from a Mercury Mining UNESCO Heritage Site into a vibrant urban area based on open business innovation and public participation.
Targu Jiu – Brancusi Heroes Crossing Statuary Ensemble – Heritage Protected Area Redevel- opment and Modernization. – First Prize
Date: Dec, 2012
Location: Targu Jiu, Gorj County, RO
Description: The purpose of the project was to develop the general strategy for the integration of the competition site in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The objectives focus on developing a visitor and car traffic management plan as well as general guidelines for future architecture interventions in the area.
Galati 2050 – The Would-Be City – Finalist
Date: Apr, 2011
Location: Galati, Galati County, RO
Web link: http://plusminus.org.ro
Description: The purpose of the project was to assist the cities of Braila and Galati in developing a functional urban system based on public transport and on a new urban design strategy that will unite the adjacent cities by sharing their existing public space infrastructure.
Inspired Design Competition 2010 – Dambovita River Hydroponic Info Pavilion
Date: Oct, 2010
Location: Bucharest, RO
Web link: www.razvanzamfira.ro/dambovita-pavilion/
Description: Floating installation showcasing the importance of water courses for the cities we leave in. The pavilion was also designed to inform on the development of a larger local scheme for regenerating the Dambovita Riverfront in Bucharest
PRESENTATIONS
Urban Fest 2015 – The role of DIY OpenData in Enabler Smart City initiatives
Date: Jun 2015
Location: Bucharest, RO
Web link: ec.europa.eu/romania/11062015_dezbaterile_urban- fest_ro.htm
London School of Economics Bucharest Workshop – Who is afraid of public participa- tion in Bucharest
Date: Mar 2014
Location: Bucharest, RO
Web link: www.odaiacreativa.ro/en/focus-bucharest-a-transform- ing-city-atelier-urban-cu-lse/
Crisis and Innovation in Urban Development in post-socialist Romania
Date: Nov 2013
Location: Milan, IT
Web link: www.newgenerationsweb.com/pecha-kucha-network/- ture.
TEDxCity 2.0 Bucharest – Developing new tools and frameworks for participatory city development
Date: Sept 2013
Location: Bucharest, RO
Web link: www.tedxbucharest.ro/razvan-zam ra-poiana-lui-iocan/