This page contains Ioana Urma’s M.I.T. Master of Architecture thesis entitled The ‘Circular’ Piazza: landscape and history as architectural material (Constanța, Romania), published as a book in 2001, and as an article in 49 Projects at M.I.T.: Thesis Works 2001-2002 in 2002.

The thesis proposes three things:

1. URBAN REDEVELOPMENT of the central piazza (piața) zone of the ancient & ethnically diverse port city of Constanța, on the Black Sea.

2. To approach urban design/architecture WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK established by HISTORICAL ACTIONS (not styles) and based on a meaningful yet fun HUMAN EXPERIENCE of the URBAN LANDSCAPE.

3. To approach urban design/architecture INTROSPECTIVELY through INTUITIVE, PERCEPTUAL and ARTISTIC ANALYSIS.

The 206 page thesis book, written and assembled in three weeks to rather strict design guidelines, is organized like a catalog and like storybook at the same time. The version here varies from the library one in that it is spell-checked (but only 150 dpi resolution)! Please view the pdfs as a book = two facing pages, with the first page as a single/cover page.