Co-producing third spaces around Depoul Victoria, Bucharest

This paper examines the Depoul Victoria project as a model for decolonizing architectural education and practice through participatory, interdisciplinary methods. By suspending a conventional design competition, the project enabled early engagement with local communities to reimagine an industrial site’s future based on social realities rather than imposed briefs. Volunteers conducted historical, sociological, and spatial analyses, producing documentation that informed a shared, community-centered vision. This process legitimized often-invisible work like coordination and listening, highlighting its importance in architectural pedagogy. The initiative demonstrates how integrating residents’ imaginative rights can build trust and generate social capital, redefining the architect’s role beyond design. By analyzing these outcomes, the paper proposes a framework transferable to other Romanian urban contexts, advocating for systemic change toward a socially engaged, reflective practice that fosters inclusive and sustainable urban transformation.