{"id":3331,"date":"2025-11-24T20:42:14","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T20:42:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/home\/?p=3331"},"modified":"2026-05-19T10:30:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T10:30:37","slug":"becoming-trustworthy-i-5-alumni-voices-on-practice-ethics-and-transformation-fast-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/becoming-trustworthy-i-5-alumni-voices-on-practice-ethics-and-transformation-fast-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming Trustworthy\u00a0I\u00a05 Alumni Voices on Practice, Ethics, and Transformation @FAST 2025\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Thursday, 6 November 2025, the Aula Magna \u201cCarmen Sylva\u201d of the Gheorghe\u00a0Asachi\u00a0Technical University of\u00a0Ia\u0219i\u00a0hosted the Alumni Talks section of FAST, Festival for Architecture Schools of Tomorrow 2025. The event unfolded within the framework of the festival\u2019s theme, Becoming, Architectures for a Planet in Transition, with a particular focus on Becoming Trustworthy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Building on a format that had become a defining feature of FAST, Alumni Talks brought together outstanding graduates from the five architecture schools in Romania,\u00a0Ia\u0219i, Cluj-Napoca, Bucharest,\u00a0Timi\u0219oara\u00a0and Oradea, for a morning of presentations and open conversation\u00a0centred\u00a0on professional\u00a0trajectories, ethics of practice and the evolving role of the architect\u00a0in a world marked by uncertainty and transformation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0The event gathered a diverse and attentive audience, students, teaching staff, young professionals, representatives of the Order of Architects of Romania, OAR, and festival partners. The atmosphere in the hall was focused and generous, shaped by careful listening as much as by speaking, and by a shared curiosity about what it truly means to build a meaningful architectural practice today.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Moderated by\u00a0Amalia Enache, the discussion brought together five alumni speakers, each\u00a0representing\u00a0a distinct school, generation and mode of practice, Laurian\u00a0Ghini\u021boiu, Camelia Sisak, Justin\u00a0Baroncea, M\u00e1rton\u00a0T\u00f6vissi\u00a0and Alexandru Sz\u0171z Pop. Rather than presenting linear success stories, their contributions focused on doubt, experimentation, ethical\u00a0positioning\u00a0and the long-term responsibilities embedded in architectural work.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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A dialogue across schools and generations<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Throughout the morning, the speakers spoke openly about the paths they chose, the contexts they\u00a0navigated\u00a0and the values that shaped their professional decisions. The audience engaged actively, extending the conversation beyond individual projects toward broader questions related to trust, authorship,\u00a0collaboration\u00a0and relevance within contemporary practice.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the most spontaneous and meaningful moments\u00a0emerged\u00a0when the deans of the architecture faculties, all present in the hall, addressed questions directly to the alumni. This unexpected exchange generated a deeper and more nuanced discussion, prompting the speakers to reflect in greater detail on how they view the start of their careers, drawing on what they would have liked to do differently and what they would have done the same.\u00a0<\/span>The discussion moved into a reflective and honest space, revealing not only achievements, but also vulnerabilities, failures and long learning processes that are rarely visible in formal academic or professional narratives.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mentorship, responsibility and becoming trustworthy<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Across all presentations, mentorship and responsibility\u00a0emerged\u00a0as recurring\u00a0themes,\u00a0both received and offered. The alumni reflected on how their university education shaped their ways of thinking, while also acknowledging its limits. They spoke about the importance of informal learning, observation,\u00a0trial\u00a0and\u00a0error\u00a0and the gradual construction of ethical positions, rather than the adoption of predefined professional identities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Becoming trustworthy was described not as a fixed status, but as an ongoing process that required time,\u00a0consistency\u00a0and the courage to question dominant models of practice. Through personal stories and concrete examples, the speakers highlighted accountability toward communities, collaborators, cultural\u00a0contexts\u00a0and the built environment itself. In this sense, Alumni Talks became a lived interpretation of the FAST theme, where\u00a0becoming was\u00a0understood through responsibility,\u00a0care\u00a0and long-term commitment rather than certainty.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Following the event, several alumni shared reflections they wished to pass on to those who could not attend. Many students noted that hearing about hesitation,\u00a0doubt\u00a0and long-term commitment felt more relevant than polished success stories. Among the ideas that resonated most strongly were the importance of staying curious, accepting\u00a0uncertainty\u00a0and allowing professional identities to evolve over time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Rather than offering formulas for success, the speakers encouraged students and young architects to build their own paths gradually, guided by integrity,\u00a0collaboration\u00a0and a deep understanding of context.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0A growing alumni network\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alumni Talks fulfilled their core\u00a0objectives, bridging the gap between students and graduates, sharing diverse professional experiences, inspiring through authentic career\u00a0paths\u00a0and strengthening the alumni network of architecture schools in Romania. More than a series of presentations, the session became a space of collective reflection, reinforcing the idea that architecture is not only about building, but about responsibility,\u00a0trust\u00a0and long-term engagement.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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As FAST 2025, the\u00a0Alumni Talks\u00a0remained\u00a0a key moment of pause and reflection, a reminder that becoming an architect is not a destination, but a continuous process of learning,\u00a0questioning\u00a0and becoming trustworthy.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We, at the OAR, would also like to extend our gratitude toward the speakers for their openness, transparency, and for the way they chose to present their journey as architects from their student years to their current professional practice, thus offering the architecture students present in the room a clear perspective on how their own careers might evolve.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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ABOUT THE 5 ALUMNI<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Laurian\u00a0Ghini\u021boiu, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture \u201cG.M.\u00a0Cantacuzino\u201d in\u00a0Ia\u0219i, reflected on his transition from architectural training to a transdisciplinary artistic practice. He spoke about observation as a form of research,\u00a0travel\u00a0and displacement as tools for understanding the built environment and the ethical responsibility involved in representation. His contribution\u00a0emphasised\u00a0architecture\u2019s ability to reveal hidden socio-economic narratives and to question power structures through image,\u00a0film\u00a0and spatial storytelling.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Camelia Sisak, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning in Cluj-Napoca and co-founder of Atelier MASS, shared insights from her work at the intersection of architecture,\u00a0urbanism\u00a0and exhibition design. She discussed contextual design as a form of care, stressing the importance of listening, to sites, to\u00a0communities\u00a0and to\u00a0history. Drawing from urban regeneration projects and curatorial collaborations, she highlighted architecture\u2019s capacity to shape cultural experience and to build public trust over time.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Justin\u00a0Baroncea, a graduate of UAUIM Bucharest, approached architecture through experimentation,\u00a0bricolage\u00a0and interdisciplinary practice. His presentation explored work on public space, sound installations, recycled\u00a0materials\u00a0and DIY processes, challenging conventional boundaries between architecture, design,\u00a0art\u00a0and craft. He spoke about play,\u00a0improvisation\u00a0and curiosity as legitimate professional tools,\u00a0advocating for\u00a0practices that\u00a0remain\u00a0open,\u00a0adaptive\u00a0and critically engaged.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0M\u00e1rton\u00a0T\u00f6vissi, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning in\u00a0Timi\u0219oara\u00a0and co-founder of a-platz, reflected on working across multiple geographies, between Romania,\u00a0France\u00a0and Hungary. He discussed the importance of context as a guiding principle, shaped by the office\u2019s bi-polar positioning. His contribution focused on collaboration, long-term commitment to\u00a0place\u00a0and the careful negotiation between local specificity and international practice.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Alexandru Sz\u0171z Pop, a graduate of the Faculty of Construction,\u00a0Cadastre\u00a0and Architecture in Oradea, spoke about working with heritage,\u00a0materiality\u00a0and contemporary architectural language. Drawing from both personal projects and long-term collaborations, he\u00a0reflected on\u00a0restoration as an ethical practice and on the responsibility of intervening within existing structures. His presentation\u00a0emphasised\u00a0patience,\u00a0continuity\u00a0and respect for the built legacy as foundations of professional trust.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo credit:\u00a0Raluca Toma,\u00a0Bumbu Oliver,\u00a0Codau\u00a0Alexandra\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Thursday, 6 November 2025, the Aula Magna \u201cCarmen Sylva\u201d of the Gheorghe\u00a0Asachi\u00a0Technical University of\u00a0Ia\u0219i\u00a0hosted the Alumni Talks section of FAST, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":3332,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-talks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3331"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3331\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3491,"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3331\/revisions\/3491"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3332"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fast.oar.archi\/2025\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}