Take part in an architectural survey course in a magnificent manor house in northern Romania!
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Conac Petre Carp is a manor house located in the village of Țibănești in Romania. It's a 19th-century mansion, listed as a historical monument. The manor belonged to Petre P. Carp (1837-1919), one of Romania's leading political figures and an advocate of modernization rooted in national traditions. The manor was confiscated by the Communist regime in 1949 and returned to the family as a ruin 50 years later. The recovery of this property is based on the search for creative means of recycling, on a change of function from a residence to a study center for traditional crafts and architecture. The manor house is set in a large, listed park.
You'll discover the timeless charm of Țibănești, a traditional Romanian village, where horse-drawn carts criss-cross the paths, ancestral gestures still punctuate daily life, and authenticity and hospitality remain at the heart of the community.
The village of Țibănești is located in the Iași region, an hour from the city of Iași, Romania's former capital and now the country's second-largest city after Bucharest. More broadly, the site is located in Romanian Moldavia, a region at the north-eastern tip of Romania. Capital of the Moldavia region, Iași is a charming city with a remarkable historical and cultural heritage. A traditional center of Romanian artistic and academic life, Iași is now regaining its former glory.
Visitors can discover several emblematic monasteries, such as that of the Three Holy Hierarchs, famous for its splendid stone sculptures blending Byzantine, Eastern and Western influences, or the Golia Monastery, fortified and boasting a panoramic tower offering a magnificent view of the city.
The cultural richness continues at the 16th-century Galata Monastery, a veritable fusion of Byzantine and Moldavian styles.
A stone's throw from the center, Copou Park invites you to stroll among its old lime trees, including the famous "Eminescu lime tree", linked to the memories of Romania's greatest poet, and the Obelisk of the Lions, symbol of the city.
The region is the cradle of a thousand-year-old tradition of pottery, inherited from the ancient cultures of Cucuteni and Kuty, famous for their elaborate designs and elegant shapes, testifying to exceptional artistic refinement from prehistoric times.
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Immerse yourself in the world of historic architecture through a program combining on-site surveys, drawing, watercolor painting and the development of a restoration project.
Take an active part in the installation of stone paving, combining traditional gestures with contemporary thinking.
The course will alternate theoretical sessions and on-site work, with the aim of carrying out an architectural survey, establishing an expert diagnosis and developing the first stages of a restoration project. Techniques covered include surveying, tracing, decorative layering of different materials...
The main project will focus on requalifying the manor's entrance area, with particular attention to creating a representative surface, securing access and managing rainwater.
Educational objective: to understand and enhance the relationship between the entrance, the surrounding landscape and the architecture of the building.
The supervisory team is made up of:
- Stefan Manciulescu, chief architect of the Monuments Historiques, professor at the Ecole de Chaillot until 2023,
- Serban Sturdza, restoration architect and initiator of the Batem Fierul la Conac project,
- A stone restorer
When participants arrive, they will be briefed by the entire technical team (several technical courses will be held at the same time) and members of the MARIA association, who are organizing the workcamp.
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Group living and accommodation
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Accommodation is hard-standing, located in the manor house or in the adjoining areas. Dormitories are either mixed or single-sex. Tents can be pitched in the manor's garden. Toilets and showers are available on site.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are cooked in the village according to traditional Romanian recipes (soups, vegetables, meats, mamaliga). Fresh bread, baked at the manor, is served daily. Meals are taken collectively at set times, under the porch at the entrance to the park, right next to the workshops.
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Leisure and other activities
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On the first Sunday of the year, a wagon ride is organized to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding countryside and immerse yourself in the peaceful atmosphere of the village. A visit to a local potter's workshop in Schitu Stavnic is also an opportunity to discover an ancestral know-how handed down from generation to generation.
Sunday in between is a day off. Volunteers are offered outings in the region or visits to local craftsmen.
On the last Sunday, the festival is in full swing: a great village celebration brings together participants and locals around a lively gipsy band. To the sound of traditional music, local wine is shared and rondeaux are danced until nightfall, in a warm and unforgettable atmosphere.
The evenings will take place in Petre P. Carp's manor house, where volunteers will attend :
- a series of lectures and films on architecture and heritage,
- a jam session with a rock band
- exhibitions featuring works created during the workshops, including ceramics, historical surveys, drawings and watercolors, and children's creations from their own workshops
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No specific skills are required to take part.
In the days following your pre-registration, the International Relations Department will contact you by e-mail to arrange a telephone conversation.
This will enable us to get to know you better and give you more details about the workcamp (organization, arrival arrangements, etc.).
You can ask us any questions you may have, and let us know what you need to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
You will then receive a roadmap summarizing all useful information about the site.
Meet us on July 27 in the afternoon at the entrance to the park where the manor house is located.
The city of Iasi has an airport with several daily flights to France/ The village of Tibanesti can be reached by shuttle bus from Iasi railway station. A bus links the airport and the station. It is therefore also possible to arrive via Iasi station. There are many train connections in Romania.
Local transport makes for great memories! We can provide a detailed route map to mark out the entire journey.
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