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Tulcea, Romania
2010
Sc. Annals of DDI
vol. 16
6.
The analysis of cultural architectural trends in Crisan
locality
SELA Florentina, MARIN Eugenia, MIERLĂ Marian
Address: Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development: 165 Babadag Str., 820112 Tulcea, Romania
Address of author responsible for correspondence: SELA Florentina – Danube Delta National Institute for Research and
Development: 165 Babadag Str., 820112 Tulcea, Romania, e-mail: [email protected]
Address: adresa
Address of author responsible for correspondence: NUME Prenume – adresa, e-mail: [email protected]
A
BSTRACT. The paper presents data about the identification and analyse of the traditional architectural elements
in Crisan locality knowing that the tourism activity is in a continuous development. The field research (during November
2007) enabled us to develop a qualitative and quantitative analysis in terms of identification of traditional architecture
elements, their conservation status, and frequency of traditional building materials use, decorative elements and specific
colors used in construction architecture. Further, based on collected data, was realized the chart - Distribution for Traditional
Architecture Index (TAI) on the distance from the center of Crisan locality, showing that in Crisan locality the houses were
and are built without taking into account any rule, destroying thus traditional architecture.
Key words: traditional architecture, TAI (Traditional Architecture Index), cultural heritage, rural landscape, Danube Delta
INTRODUCTION
The aim of the present study was to perform both qualitative and quantitative analysis in terms of keeping
elements of traditional architecture and the use of environment eco-friendly building materials, specific
decorations and colors in Crisan locality. The activities were carried out in the context that the agrotourism activity
is in a constant development and the interests of local and government authorities in terms of taking measures
regarding preservation of traditional architectural line in Danube Delta localities is a necessity.
METHODS
Knowing that in Crisan tourism activity is in a constantly expanding and delta’s architecture is constantly changing
due to the appearance of new building with specific architecture from different parts of the country, in our study,
we analyzed 224 buildings including those in construction stage, representing 88% of a total of 254 existing
buildings, 12% are represented by public utilities construction (water plant, power plants, culture house, postoffice, school and gym, municipal council, dispensary, restaurant "Dunărea Veche" etc.) and lands with other use
(gardens, places vacant lots, empty or abandoned households) [2].
In Crisan locality, from the observations included in the ethnographic agenda and from the main aspects surprised
using interview, questionnaire method, focus group, socio-anthropological survey and participant observation
method were found traditional architectural elements, as follows: house type, specific of house, traditional
elements, use of traditional colors (ultramarine - a shade of blue, green, white, gray) for house and windows /
doors, fences, presence of traditional elements such as porch, lijanca (an original and ingenious heating system especially in slave population houses, but also in Romanian - represented bt a bed (a raised earth platform) warm hearth is directed through a circuit of "fumes" - the construction that using adobe, stone, brick, iron bars and
wooden perches (most of the times it has incorporated a metal stove)) [1], earth oven.
Also, for realising the two maps Cartographic representation of the Traditional Architectural Index for Crisan
locality and Spatial distribution of architectural types in Crisan locality, were established the geographical
coordinates for each house, using GPS.
The methods used for preparing maps:
GPS data were introduced in the computer;
With the data collected was compiled Table 1, in which were given scores for each criterion that
describes the housing element, and then we made the arithmetic average amount of their notes to determine
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vol. 16
the traditional index for each house separately. Arithmetic averages were represented in the program
ArcView GIS 3.1;
The substrate of representation maps was used topographic map in SC. 1:50.000.
Notes for elements – criteria describing a household from Crisan locality
House
Table 1
Note
1
1
2
3
4
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
2
*
**
Forks
Adobe
Adobe + cement
Wood
BCA / OSB
porch
Adapted porch / modified / modernized
Heating system (stoves)
Lejanca
Other
Steam bath
Ground oven
Food system (clay stove+cookin stove)
Colour of the house
Colurs for windows and doors
Roof
1
3
4
6
5
4
Reed
Tin
Tile
Azbest
Onduline
Other
Fence
1
4
3
2
4
5
***
Reed
Rock
Wood fence + iron gate
Wood fence and gate
Cement
Metal
Color
NOTE:
* House color
white
blue
green
red
pink
brown
grey
beige
yellow
orange
mustard
black
natural
Note
1
1
1
4
4
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
2
** Window color
white
white PVC
blue
green
red
pink
brown
brown PVC
grey
beige
yellow
orange
mustard
black
natural
Note
2
3
1
1
4
4
3
4
1
3
3
4
4
4
2
*** Fence color
white
blue
green
red
pink
brown
grey
beige
yellow
orange
mustard
black
natural
Note
2
1
1
4
4
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
1
LEGEND: 1 = high traditional level, 2 = medium traditional level, 3 = low traditional level, 4 = very low traditional
level, 5 = not traditional.
Using these methods allowed a quantitative and qualitative analysis in terms of identification of traditional
architecture elements, their conservation status, frequency of traditional building materials use, decorative
elements and specific colors used in construction architecture.
RESULTS
For quantity and quality analysis in terms of identifying cultural architectural trends in Crisan, the following steps
were followed:
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Phase I: Establishing architectural elements, part of the local traditional architecture, as a result of obtained data,
as follows:
a) house type: tourist units, pensions in function, tourism family associations, hostels, under construction /
renovation houses, rezidential houses.
b) the houses specific: construction with traditional cuisines (one level); construction without traditional cuisines
(one level), new buildings with 2-3 levels, constructions with at least one reed annexes.
c) the houses and annexes specific: used traditional construction materials (forks, adobe, adobe with cement);
used new construction materials (wood, BCA, OSB); number of rooms in the main building; porch; heating system
(furnaces, tiles etc.); lijanca; bathrooms (steam bath); earth oven; food-preparation system (clay stove with stove,
cooker); the house, windows and doors color (blue, green, white, gray, others).
d) specific roof: used construction material (reeds, sheet, tile, asbestos, onduline, other).
e) specific fences: the fence material (reed, stone, cement, steel); color (blue, green, white, gray, other).
Phase II: Data collection, introduced them in the Microsoft Excel programme, making graphics for data
interpretation.
From the study on constructions of Crisan village resulted that the total of 224 buildings analysed resulted that
15.6% are tourist units, pensions and family associations in operation, 10.7% are tourist units, pensions,
incompleted or in renovation constructions, 73.7% are housing themselves (Fig. 1).
The proportion in relation to distribution of traditional construction and non-traditional in Crisan is almost the same
- 50.5% traditional construction and 49.5% non traditional.
Horizontal construction with a level are identified as the traditional, in Crisan appeared some buildings that are
new or renovate, with several levels: P + M, P+1, P+1+M or P+2 and less frequently P+2+M.
Traditional construction materials (clay - adobe, reed, local wood), for houses and annexes, are used at a rate
exceeding 80% (Fig. 2).
An item traditionally met is porch, which was identified at a rate of 28% in Crisan. One of the regular parts is
bathroom (steam bath) - the famous russian steam room, but at Crisan were found only two households. In the
Crisan village, the retained traditional element is bench near the gate, on the main street.
The houses traditional colors are ultramarine, green, white and gray, which are predominant and the painting of
doors and windows, the hips of the roof top, sawed gable and fascia board. They are found more rarely, and
some houses renovated or newly built.
Materials used for roofing are: reed 33.5%, asbestos 29.5%, tin 16.1%, tiles 8% onduline 6.2%, other material
6.7% (Fig. 3).
Fences in line, with height between 1 to 1.5 m at Crisan (from the main street, which really is the only street,
along the Sulina Canal), more than half are from board and batten gate, followed by bearing metal, reed, metal
and other materials (stone, cement). Alignment fences colors are predominantly the traditional: green, blue,
sometimes in combination with white or gray.
Phase III: Analysis of architectural trends in the Crisan area
To stand out qualitative / quantitative changes in Crisan’s architecture were made two maps: Cartographic
representation of the Traditional Architectural Index for Crisan locality (Fig. 4) and Spatial distribution of
architectural types in the Crisan locality (Fig. 5) by determining geographical coordinates of each house, using
GPS. This maps help to assess and illustrate the spatial organization scheme of the settlement.
The maps emphasize that on ¾ of the studied area exist:
- only 4 houses "high traditional level" with architecture and traditional building materials (in the maps are
represented with dark green color- see the Legend maps), two houses distributed to the east (between them
is about 700 m) and two to the west (and between them is about 700 m) from the center of town;
- one house that is “not traditional" with new (modern) architecture and building materials (represented by dark
red color on the maps), which is reflected in the area with full intervention with modern architectural elements;
- the “very low traditional level” area (represented on map with dark pink color);
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2010
- most houses fall under the category "medium traditional level" (in green color) and “low traditional level” (in pink)
having varying degrees the new and traditional architecture but also the construction materials, summing
about 80% of the studied locality.
As a conclusion, the general appearance of Crisan is in contradiction with the construction duties, such as loosing
the village aspect.
The maps provide an opportunity to capture all relevant elements for the study and spatial distribution.
Was made the chart - Distribution for Traditional Architecture Index (TAI) on the distance from the center of
Crisan locality (Fig. 6), showing that in Crisan the houses were and are built without taking into account any rule,
destroying thus traditional architecture.
Development of tourist activity will produce further major changes not only in terms of the localities appearance
(height and building size, materials etc.), but significant changes in socio-economic aspect.
CONCLUSIONS




Delta's rural cultural heritage is to be maintained, encouraged to develop further as a model for new
architectural trends.
Architecture habitat in Crisan locality should be influenced by the local specific and by the traditional
materials used so that housing is comfortable, without changing the appearance of the village.
Architecture of Crisan is in a process of change due to local activities changes, on the other hand, people
desire to modify their homes in a modern style, adapted to the ourism development.
Preservation of traditional architectural line should be closely linked with socio-economic needs of rural
habitat delta.
RECOMMENDATIONS






The new architecture should coexist with the traditional architecture of the locality studied, and the Danube
Delta in general.
Even if for the new construction are used new materials and more durable, however it is necessary to respect
the architectural standards of the area.
The authority factors of the area, should advise local and foreign investors on the importance of preserving
the architectural heritage delta to represent a unique attraction for tourists.
Is necessary that the local authorities to take measures for households abandoned / uninhabited, which alter
the overall picture of the locality.
Is necessary that the local authorities to alert or require owners to properly maintain both households and
street tram.
All decision makers should be required to take measures to conserve the rural heritage.
REFERENCES
1. IACOVICI (E.), 1999 - Cuvinte şi expresii folosite în spaţiul RBDD. IN: Analele Ştiinţifice ale Institutului Naţional
de Cercetare Dezvoltare Delta Dunării Tulcea, vol.VII, pp. 107 - 116. Edit. Tehnică, Bucureşti [in Romanian]
2. MEIŢĂ (V.), 2003 – Arhitectura habitatului din Delta Dunării. Edit. Universitară „Ion Mincu” Bucureşti. [in
Romanian]
Manuscript received: February, 2010
Manuscript accepted: June, 2010
Printed: August 2010
SCIENTIFIC ANNALS OF THE DANUBE DELTA INSTITUTE, TULCEA – ROMANIA, 2010
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Tulcea, Romania
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vol. 16
15,60%
10,70%
17,40%
Traditional materials
New materials
Touristic unit in function
Touristic unit in
construction
Houses
73,70%
Fig. 1. Type of houses in Crisan locality.
82,60%
Fig. 2. Materials used for houses and annexes in Crisan
locality
%
35
30
25
Reed
Azbestos
Tin
Tile
Other
Onduline
20
15
10
5
0
Reed Azbestos Tin
Tile
Other Onduline
Fig. 3. Materials used to build roofs of houses in Crisan locality
Cartographic representation of the Traditional
Architectural Index
LEGEND
▪
GPS points
The zone with the high
presence of non traditional elements
in architecture
Architectural types
High traditional level
Medium traditional level
Low traditional level
Very low traditional level
Not traditional
Fig. 4. Cartographic representation of the Traditional Architectural Index for Crisan locality
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Tulcea, Romania
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Sc. Annals of DDI
vol. 16
Spatial distribution of
architectural types in Crisan
locality
LEGEND
▪
GPS points
Architectural types
High traditional level
Medium traditional level
Low traditional level
Very low traditional level
Not traditional
Fig. 5. Spatial distribution of architectural types in the Crisan locality
TAI values
6,000
INDICELUI
MEDIEBIndex (TAI) related
DistributionRepartiţia
for the Traditional
Architecture
funcţie de
distanţafrom
de centrul
localităţii
to distance
the center
of Crisan CRIŞAN
locality
5,000
4,000
MEDIEB
Linear (MEDIEB)
TA
y = -0,0013x + 2,1573
2
R = 0,0119
3,000
2,000
1,000
11 D
9,
7
25 13
2,
8
34 22
4,
8
56 22
3,
7
72 76
6,
0
82 08
8,
0
95 41
2,
10 8 7
50 6
12 ,12
62 8
13 ,05
81 8
14 ,09
93 0
16 ,33
35 2
17 ,14
72 2
18 ,46
73 4
20 ,27
20 5
22 ,36
76 2
25 ,43
00 3
26 ,53
75 9
28 ,07
84 5
,9
82
0,000
Fig. 6. Distribution for Traditional Architecture Index (TAI) on the distance from the center of Crisan locality
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