Improving the Quality of Life in the Neighbourhood. Community Centers as Means of Rehabilitation
Improving the Quality of Life in the Neighbourhood. Community Centers as Means of Rehabilitation

Summary/Abstract: The topic of this article was born of the many current discussions concerning Bucharest and its present condition, as opposed to that of the ‘marvel’ city that it once was.2 One of the most problematic issues currently under consideration is that of the housing districts built in the socialist era.3 These are large areas, mostly situated at the periphery of the city, but which over time have started to attack the city of Bucharest as a whole. This came about because the architecture of these districts is closely linked to the social dimension of the areas; a city is made of its people, and people move around, are influenced by and influence their environments. The actual aim of this paper is to identify ways in which to rehabilitate these condemned housing districts. I am not concerned here with a discussion of the buildings themselves. I am interested in the spaces between the blocks, the leisure areas – that are deserted, in the opinion of many, but in practice this is not altogether true – and all the possible spaces in the district where change could make a difference to the lives of the inhabitants. Thus, this paper will discuss the possibility of creating community centers, where people can engage in dialogue on various matters of interest.

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