Text presentation of the author/office in English
Asociaţia de la 4, is an organization of students of the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism in Timișoara, which was born at the end of 2009, initially as a group of students eager to express their own point of view in an organized setting. The first initiative carried out under the aegis of the association was the “Urban Manifesto”, an event dedicated to the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the 1989 Revolution.
Within a year, due to the cultural and recreational activities organized for students, the group became known as the Asociaţia de la 4. Currently, we are a non-governmental and non-profit organization, aiming to promote an alternative education to the academic one.
The association is recognized for a variety of activities aimed at both architectural students and those from other fields, including artistic installations, exhibitions, workshops, trainings, competitions and relaxation events. A4 thus becomes a complementary learning platform to the university system, contributing to the development of students' professional and personal skills, as well as to the definition of their identity.
Project description in English
A N I M Ă is a project initiated by Asociația de la 4, dedicated to revitalizing spaces within the UPT Campus. The project was launched in 2012 under the name A N I M Ă U N A T E L I E R, with the aim of transforming the monotonous atmosphere of design studios and creating a more dynamic environment for students.
Today, the project has been renamed A N I M Ă, reflecting the desire to expand its interventions to a wider range of student spaces rather than limiting them to design studios. The project therefore aims to create dynamic spaces that students can actively use and transform.
From August 1–10, 2026, Club FAUT hosted the ANIMĂ Summer School, organized by Asociația de la 4. This year’s edition focused on transforming the Club into a multifunctional community hub dedicated to studying, socializing, and hosting cultural and educational activities.
The intervention was designed and carried out by FAUT students from both specializations: Architecture and Furniture & Interior Design. The interventions included refurbishing former drafting tables and reusing their components as frames for acoustic panels; building new work easels from recovered metal frames; cladding the wooden structure known as “The Cube” and transforming it into an exhibition space; inscribing the bleachers with motivational messages dedicated to students; and installing a replica of the “Sigma” installation on the Club’s ceiling.
To support the organization of the project, four working divisions were established: Finance & Legal, Communication, Hit Squad, and Design and Build, which contributed to the implementation and coordination of the construction process.
This year’s edition introduced a new methodological framework, transforming the construction site into a non-formal learning process based on the Design and Build system, coordinated exclusively by students. Throughout the semester, the working team defined the main interventions (Main Quest) and secondary interventions (Side Quest), developed together with the participants during the Summer School and implemented over its ten-day duration.
Thus, A N I M Ă has evolved from a student-led initiative into a summer school organized exclusively by a student association and co-financed through the Architecture Stamp. The project has become a reference point for student-led interventions in civic contexts, material reuse, and the development of a replicable methodology for future interventions.
