Lect.PhD. Arch. Valerica Potenchi
Members of the Study of Form and Ambience department (SFA) are responsible for fundamental, specialized, and complementary subjects included in all undergraduate study programs at UAUIM. Due to their essential formative role, most of these courses are integrated into the curricula of the first years of study, forming the foundation of the professional training of future architects, interior architects, urban planners, and designers.
The Department coordinates theoretical activities accompanied by practical work, aimed at ensuring students’ acquisition of the visual and conceptual language specific to the profession. Theoretical lectures are complemented by detailed presentations featuring images and examples, as well as practical case studies that instructors work through together with students using interactive whiteboards. The theoretical concepts are further developed through practical exercises at the drawing board, carried out in studios specifically dedicated to these activities.
The compulsory courses focus on acquiring the fundamental elements of architectural representation. Applied Mathematics in Architecture, Descriptive Geometry, Perspective, Form Studies, Observational Drawing, and Presentation Techniques are aimed at developing students’ representational skills, as well as educating and enhancing spatial perception — an essential ability for imagining and configuring volumetric compositions and architectural or design structures. Both geometric and organic forms are studied, as well as the relationship between them, with an emphasis on proportion, rhythm, creativity, the development of a sense of color, and an understanding of composition and chromatic harmony. At the same time, students are introduced to a diverse range of techniques used in architectural and design practice, including graphite, colored pencils, watercolor, ink wash, collage, clay modeling, and model-making with wood, plaster, cardboard, polystyrene, string, or textiles.
The future graduate acquires the ability to translate three-dimensional spatiality into two-dimensional representations and to understand and reconstruct three-dimensional form based on orthogonal projections.
Once these skills have been consolidated during the first years of study, the transition to the digital environment is facilitated through courses in computer-aided modeling and representation. In this context, the specialized laboratories, the “Mac Popescu” Experimental Studio (@MAC) and the Digital Didactic Lab (DDLab), equipped with computers, virtual reality (VR) systems, and 3D printing technologies, provide the necessary technical support for practical teaching activities and are available to students throughout their university studies.
The curriculum is complemented by a series of specialized elective courses, tailored to the requirements of each field of study. The elective courses offered by the SFA Department explore a range of topics, including visual arts, bionics, photography as a working tool, stylistic development, copyright, spatial conversion, interior design of public spaces, web design, extended reality (XR), photogrammetry methods, 3D scanning, and AI-based reconstruction.
The courses complement one another, providing future professionals with the opportunity to thoroughly consolidate and integrate the knowledge they acquire. The emphasis is not solely on familiarizing students with specific issues, but also on encouraging independent investigation across various fields, enabling them to develop the ability to identify and access the information they will need in their future professional practice.
The academic staff at the SFA Department comprises architects, urban planners, interior architects, designers and sculptors affiliated with several relevant professional organizations such as the Romanian Order of Architects (OAR), the Romanian Union of Architects (UAR), the Romanian Register of Urban Planners (RUR), and the Romanian Union of Visual Artists (UAP). Their continuous connection to professional practice and active involvement in research projects ensure ongoing alignment with the latest legislative regulations and technical standards in the fields of architecture, urban planning, and design. The acquisition of new specialized competencies has a positive impact on the quality of the educational process.