A former industrial space becomes a new scene for Cluj through RIVUS, the 550 million Euro urban reconversion investment

Beyond the shopping, office and leisure uses, the project will also integrate a complex infrastructure dedicated to event planning in Cluj-Napoca, with numerous distinct spaces designed for year-round activities.

Concert, festivals, shows, art exhibitions, movie projections, themed fairs, family-friendly activities or gastronomy focused events will be able to take place, even simultaneously, in several areas in RIVUS: in the squares and atriums of the shopping center, in the Arcade Hall, the rooftop garden, the open-air cinema, and in RIVUS Park.

The diversity of spaces provides the flexibility needed to accommodate events of different types and scales, so that RIVUS can be an active destination through every season. This component is designed based on IULIUS’ experience in developing projects that have also solidified their status as urban destinations owing to a rich calendar of events throughout the year. The projects developed by IULIUS in Iași, Timișoara, Cluj-Napoca, and Suceava register more than 73 million visits every year.

RIVUS – vitality, interaction and experience hub

Designed to bring people together, the events organized in IULIUS projects cover a wide range of cultural, leisure, educational, and entertainment experiences, thus becoming hot-spots for the urban life in their respective cities. Every year, the gardens, squares, multifunctional halls, and public spaces accommodate hundreds of experiences that transform these destinations into meeting spaces for the community. “Cluj City is recognized for its cultural effervescence and rich calendar of events, and this energy is worth tapping into. Experience showed us that people come back to a place not only for the uses it provides, but also for the experiences they have there. Every year, we organize hundreds of events that bring the community together in the IULIUS projects, and in Cluj-Napoca this is evident every single week through the ambiance in Iulius Mall and Iulius Park, where there are always activities for all generations. RIVUS will take this component to a new level through a dedicated infrastructure and spaces that are specially created for cultural, artistic, and entertainment events, and that were also designed together with the local cultural and academic community local,” said Sorin Guttman, RIVUS Project Manager.

The events infrastructure in the project was planned as early as the design phase. The dedicated spaces, such as the squares, Arcade Hall, food court area or RIVUS Park, will be able to accommodate various formats simultaneously, whether it be music, art, film or sports.

The Arcade Hall will play an important part, marking the first ever performing arts center integrated in a real-estate project in Romania. The former industrial facility will be restored, then reintegrated in the project, serving as a venue dedicated to contemporary creation, theater, dance, music, exhibitions, workshops, and festivals.

This direction is already visible in the construction phase. The RIVUS construction site has recently become the host of cultural initiatives accommodated right in the Arcade Hall, such as the “Sculpting Space” contemporary dance performance organized together with the Cluj Cultural Center, or the “Under Construction” exhibition organized in partnership with the Cluj-Napoca University of Arts and Design (UAD), transforming the construction site into a contemporary art gallery for a whole month and giving the public a chance to discover the potential of the upcoming project before its grand opening.

RIVUS Park – the scene for outdoor events

With more than 52,000 square meters of green spaces, 700 mature trees, picnic areas, ample lawns, and paths dedicated to relaxation, RIVUS Park is created as a destination in and of itself, regardless of season. Beyond its primary leisure use, the park will operate as infrastructure for outdoor events, capable of accommodating a diverse agenda of cultural, artistic, sports, and entertainment activities, through partnerships with events in the city. Every week, the Iulius Park in Cluj-Napoca brings together thousands of people who attend puppet theater shows, movie projections, gastronomic festivals, sports activities, and family-friendly events.

Entertainment for all generations

The cultural area will also be complemented by new immersive experience concepts for the entire family. These experiences will be available in the family entertainment centers, such as Hype by Kiddo, where each visit offers activities that get your adrenaline pumping: climbing areas, trampolines, obstacle courses, gaming, immersive experiences, and simulators.

Cineplexx will also add another dimension of entertainment. For the first time in the region, the multiplex will introduce high-quality IMAX cinematic experiences and the latest cinema technologies. RIVUS also marks a national premiere by inviting the public to an open-air cinema, a concept that sets the movie stories against a spectacular and unique natural backdrop. This versatile location will not only accommodate movie projections, but also operate as a hub for artistic events and initiatives, showcasing the cultural landscape of the community.

The project will include a new edutainment concept by Cărturești in a lifestyle center format that integrates cultural component and educational, entertainment and relaxation experiences. The concept-location of the largest bookstore in the country will include a generous selection of books, new brands of stationery, home decor, toys, and gifts, as well as a coffee shop and spaces for events, art exhibitions and for promoting Romanian designers.