RIVUS construction site – A creative ‘scene’ for students at the Art and Design University of Cluj

RIVUS representatives have invited students from the Art and Design University of Cluj-Napoca (UAD) to participate in a special illustration contest, intended to bring an artistic perspective to one of the most extensive urban regeneration sites in Romania. The contest proposed an exercise in imagination: reinterpreting the construction site beyond its technical features. Students were challenged to imagine the machinery, equipment, and the structures under construction as elements that can come to life and transform into characters with identities of their own, into meaningful symbols or expressions of a fantastical and humanized world.

“In our vision, student training is more than workshop practice and also entails their exposure to the real world, to processes and contexts that are shaping the city we live in. Our collaboration with RIVUS offers them such an experience: direct contact with a large-scale urban development, which they can critically examine, interpret, and visually transform in a personal manner. It is very important for future artists to grasp the role they can play in the community dynamics and in how the city is constantly getting reinvented. The partnership between UAD and RIVUS taps into this capacity to reimagine and reinterpret reality. Our students show that beauty can be found even in the areas where urban transformation is in full swing,” said Dan Alban, Dean of the Faculty of Decorative Arts and Design in Cluj-Napoca.

The contestants received a series of images with the actual construction site premises, which they had to animate and add surprising perspectives to. The initiative aimed for each work to provide a new visual and conceptual dimension to the space undergoing this transformation, revealing the artistic potential hidden in the technical structures. The contest also sought to provide students with the opportunity to express themselves in real-life contexts and to encourage creative exploration in unconventional spaces. The 15 works were reviewed by a jury comprised of UAD and RIVUS representatives, based on the following criteria: originality and creativity of the works, thematic interpretation, and visual and esthetic impact. Six winners were selected and will be rewarded with prizes designed to support their academic progress.

A selection of the students’ illustrations, not just the winning ones, will be showcased over the upcoming period in a photo gallery published on RIVUS’ social media platforms.

“Through this project, we wanted to give students the opportunity to materialize their artistic vision in the context of a major urban development, contributing their perspective to how this space is taking shape. This initiative also adds a creative touch to the construction site, showing that even the spaces that are constantly transforming can tell a story when viewed through the lens of imagination,” added Dora Andercău, Marketing Manager RIVUS.