Bucharest's new chief architect supports high-rise development

Gheorghe Patrascu (photo), Bucharest’s new chief architect, believes the city should develop upwards rather than outwards, whilst the best place for such projects is on the outskirts of the capital, or on the banks of the Dambovita river. “I am not against tall buildings, because the city should grow upwards, but not in the old centre or in areas where the construction of such buildings is not permitted by zoning regulations. For instance, a low-rise building that covers a large area hinders traffic more than a tall building, which has been designed with a car park. A case in point is the city of Frankfurt, which has several tall buildings, but this has not affected traffic,” says Patrascu, who replaced Adrian Bold, Bucharest’s former chief architect, whose position was contested after he backed the development of high-rise buildings in inappropriate areas. The new chief architect believes the city’s urban development over the last few years was due to the interest shown by real estate investors, given that there are few cities in Europe that are considered as attractive as Bucharest amongst real estate developers. However, Patrascu believes the chaotic construction of buildings needs to stop. “Real estate pressure is an advantage for the city’s development, but there have to be clear regulations, so that developers know exactly what they can build after buying the land,” explains Patrascu.