about:

Monica Tușinean is an architect and researcher focusing on design-driven and artistic investigations - her work centres around Romania’s neglected industrial heritage and innovative adaptive reuse approaches for urban wastelands.

Born in Romania, she now resides in Germany, where she has been pursuing her design-based doctorate at the Technische Universität Berlin in the “Programm Entwurfsbasierte Promotion”, contributing to the intersection of architecture, preservation, and sustainable urban development.

Her experimental research explores visual methodologies that bridge lacunas in socio-cultural and political discourse on post-communist architectural aesthetics. She works as a freelance architect, teaches at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and contributes to the digital architecture magazine “Kontextur”.

In the past, she studied architecture at the University ‘Ion Mincu’ Bucharest and Universität Stuttgart where she graduated with distinction. The thesis "Wastelands" was shortlisted for the Baunetz Campus Masters awards. Since her graduation she has practiced architecture with Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei Architekten and Schleicher Ragaller Architekten. She has worked as a scientific assistant at the Universität Stuttgart and is currently a lecturer and scientific assistant at the Karlsruher Institut für Technologie with a focus on adaptive re-use design processes. 

2024:

DrawingxAcrossxAlong University Borders - Panelist - Practice Sharing

i2ADS + FBAUP University of Porto. 

Abstract

16-19. October

Finalist (#10)

International Architectural Competition - Industrial Site "Rulmentul"

FAUS - "...und morgen?" - Panelist

Uni Stuttgart 14.October

EASST-4S - Panelist

"Making and Doing Transformations"

Amsterdam, NL, 16-19. July

Kamingespräch - Roundtable Talk

IRGE, Uni Stuttgart, 12. June

Jour Fixe - Panelist

Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Stuttgart, 30. April

Cities Building Culture - Panelist

Visual Methodologies for the  Transdisciplinary  Study of Heritage

RWTH Aachen, 21-23. March

Schulbau Messe - Moderation

Internationaler Salon und Messe für den Bildungsbau, Stuttgart, 29.February

KNTXTR

 "Greenwashing in Design Education"- Read it here:  LINK

2023:

Ph.D. School Tbilisi, Georgia

Neighborhood Heritage

'Cities building culture'

Moderation:  ArchiKon AKBW + 

'Neue Arbeitswelten'

Wechselgespräche 

IBA27/BDA - Junge Raumpraxis

Queens of Structure

Podium Discussion

Frauen in der Bauwende 

(feminist practices for change in  construction industries)

Publication

CA2RE+ 3rd edition

Frameworks of Design-Driven Research

Kolloquium PEP 6

Entwurfsbasierte Promotion Berlin

2022:

Guest Lecture 

Adaptive Re-Use @ Kent State University, Ohio

CIPA - International Congress for Architectural and Landscape Heritage @ Malagueira, Portugal

poster + publication

Constructive Disobedience

Symposium @ TU Braunschweig

KIT EntwerfenKonstruieren (Prof. Ludwig Wappner) 

Architecture Beyond Capitalism

workshop @ the architecture lobby

 creative days stuttgart

input lecture @ hospitalhof

sustain. build. repeat 

Symposium @ ZKM Karlsruhe

D.A.R.A. 

Symposium Design and Research in Architecture and Landscape 

Leibniz Universität Hannover

Hidden Histories: Gender in Design

Design History Society, London

PEP - Kolloquium Programm entwurfsbasierte Promotion  

TU Berlin

2021:

Moderation AIP-Kongress “Young Archikon” - Architektenkammer Baden-Württemberg

Ca2Re (Conference for Artistic and Architectural (Doctoral) Research)"Reformulations"

 Ljubjlana 

PEP - Kolloquium Programm entwurfsbasierte Promotion 

TU Berlin

Wiss. Veröffentlichung: Ca2Re - Strategies of design driven research, erste Ausgabe 2021

Relevante Lehrveranstaltungen 2021/22:

Seminar - Adaptive Re-Use

Masterentwurf - Umnutzung und Transformation des Geschäftshauses “Münchner Freiheit” 

Stegreif - Adaptive Transformation der Innenhöfe Geb. 20.40

2020:

Workshop Methodology in Research by Art or Design - HafenCity Universität Hamburg 

DARA Symposium and PhD Peer Review Design and Research in Architecture, Hannover

"Intentions" Ca2Re+ (Conference for Artistic and Architectural (Doctoral) Research) Trondheim

PEP - Kolloquium Programm entwurfsbasierte Promotion, 

TU Berlin

2019 bis dato:

Entwurfsbasierte Promotion „Approaching industrial heritage sites in a post-socialist landscape“ Technische Universität Berlin, PhD Adviser: Dr. Ignacio Borrego

2018:

Kolloquien „Programm Entwurfsbasierte Promotion“ (PEP0 + PEP1) TU Berlin 

Freie Mitarbeit Schleicher Ragaller Architekten Stuttgart (Wettbewerbe)

Ausstellung - Wechselraum Stuttgart Framed: Arbeiten der 

Studierenden am KIT

2017 bis dato:

Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin – Karlsruher Institut für Technologie, IEB Prof. Ludwig Wappner 

Selbstständige Arbeit als Architektin 

Freie Mitarbeit Schleicher Ragaller Architekten Stuttgart (Wettbewerbe)

Freie Mitarbeit Plantrafik Architekten Stuttgart (Wettbewerbe)

2017:

Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeit – Universität Stuttgart

 Institut für öffentliche Bauten, 

Prof. Alexander Schwarz 

Selbstständige Arbeit als Architektin 

2015

Eintragung in die Architektenkammer Baden-Württemberg, berechtigt zur Bauvorlage

2012 – 2017:

Architektin – Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei Architekten Stuttgart (Projektleitung und Wettbewerbe) 

Consulting + Ausführung Teatrul Radu Stanca, Sibiu „Fabrica de Cultura“ (basierend auf der Diplomarbeit “Wastelands” 2012)

Lehraufträge Universität Stuttgart:
IRGE Prof. Markus Allmann - Einführung in das Entwerfen 3. 

Semester (Entwurf) IÖB Prof. Alexander Schwarz - Standpunkte der Baukultur (Vorlesung)

2012:

Diplom Universität Stuttgart: "Wastelands - Transformationen einer Industrieruine" Prof. Markus Allmann, Prof. Arno Lederer
(Anerkennung Diplompreis Uni Stuttgart, Shortlist Baunetz Campus Masters )

2011:

Praktikum EM2N Architekten Zürich

2008-2011

IÖB Prof. Arno Lederer - Wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft, stud. Tutorin Entwerfen und Darstellung Mitarbeit an der Publikation "Raumpilot - Lernen"

2007-2012

Architekturstudium Universität Stuttgart

Mitglied EASA (European Architecture Students Assembly) - Workshops und Summer Schools: 

Elefsina, Griechenland - “Index City”
Letterfrack, Irland - “Adaptation”
Brescia, Italien - “supermARCHnet”

Manchester, UK - “Identity”

2005 – 2007

Architekturstudium Universitatea de Arhitectura si Urbanism Ion Mincu Bukarest

2005

Abitur - Bacalaureat, Sibiu, Rumänien

-

Persönliches

Geb. 14.08.1986 in Hunedoara, Rumänien 

Interessen und Schwerpunkte:
Entwurfsbasierte Forschung in der Architektur
Experimentelle Bestandserhaltung von Industrieruinen
Adaptive Transformationen im Rahmen nachhaltiger Konzepte für erhaltenswertes Kulturerbe Bauen und Erhalten von intraurbanen Brachen unter Aspekten der "kritischen Fürsorge" Entwicklung von Entwurfslehrkonzepten für den Umgangs mit bestehenden Strukturen

➕ proposal for a re-think - dealing with existing building stock in a world fixated on natalism:

✖️thanatology deals with the process of death, decay, loss, and grief - applied to architectural ruins this can translate into a new approach to transformation design without forcing rebirth but through engagement with a new state of the building‘s existence.

✖️while curated decay has been a topic for decades (nay, centuries), when thinking holistically about reanimation and reuse, we would be well advised to adapt some lessons from thanatologists:

➖exploration of the individual process: the dying of the building and what stages this encompasses.
➖forensic knowledge: what physical and constructive changes are taking place?
➖psychological and social aspects: history and heritage and how these influence intervention strategies.
➖ ethical implications: what degree of intervention is appropriate, who will benefit from it?

➕ architectural thanatology is intrinsically interdisciplinary and conducive to developing a new design methodology beyond museumification (doing too little out of reverence) or invasive addition (doing too much and forgetting about the existing building‘s character and history) and ultimately preventing destruction through demolition.

AI in Architecture: Awe and Autophagia

Read @ Kontextur

Greenwashing in Design Education

Opinion Piece for KNTXTR

WWW.KONTEXTUR.INFO

«It appears that architecture schools are buying into an erroneous dichotomy of beauty vs. sustainability and are struggling to marry didactic tradition with the architecture and construction practices the climate emergency requires.»

Read  full text here @kntxtr

Master Of None

Opinion Piece for KNTXTR

«The prevailing reality for most employed architects is the continuous confrontation with an anachronistic view of the occupation and a (perceived) inability to imagine another working model from within a dysfunctional system.»

Read full text here @kntxtr

2024 Guest Critic

Metropol X - KIT

Professur Internationaler Städtebau und Entwerfen

2023 Guest Critic

Design Studio IU Architecture Stuttgart

2022 Guest Lecture 

Adaptive Re-Use @ Kent State University, Ohio

Since 2017 

Scientific Assistant and Lecturer

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie
Fakultät für Architektur
Institut Entwerfen und Bautechnik 

x

Selected Seminars

Adaptive Re-Use @ KIT

winter 2021/22

summer 2022

winter 2022/23

Selected Masters' Design Projects

Transformation + Re-Use @KIT

"Trash To Treasure"

Transformation of Thermoselect Site

Karlsruhe Harbor

Transformation Retail Mall  “Münchner Freiheit” 

Stegreif - Short design project

Adaptive Transformation der Innenhöfe Geb. 20.40 @KIT

Teaching @ Universität Stuttgart

2015-2017

2nd Year Studio Project

Introduction to Design

Masters' Design Project

"Theatre in Transylvania"

Lecture 

"Standpunkte der Baukultur"

As part of my doctoral research, I have contributed to the first CA2RE+ book. The publication identifies the long-term development goals and potentials of Design-Driven Doctoral Research and addresses research done within the proliferating research-by-design field and situates DDDr in an academic context of research.  

Learn more here:

https://ca2re.eu/ca2replus/books/

Download book here: https://ca2re.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2021_10_03_CA2RE_STRATEGIES_screen.pdf

 via Philip & Michael Kalkbrenner|14.12.2022

Greenwashing is a popular marketing tool that many businesses are using today. This goes so far that the feeling is conveyed that we can all save the environment and thus the world by buying a certain product: the more of this product that is bought, the better.

Too often we fall into the trap of greenwashing!

Philip and Michael talk greenwashing in construction with Monica Tusinean in today's issue. Monica is a research associate at the Faculty of Architecture at KIT and likes to throw up about the industry and the idol hype in the architecture industry.

Together with her, we think about the following questions: What forms of greenwashing are used in our industry? How "green" is cement really, or are we just being fooled when we see the modernized concrete mixers of a major German cement manufacturer? What about away from cement? Are there projects that are described as sustainable and only remotely related to it? Is there greenwashing in science? That and much more. Stay tuned.

Covering these questions and a lighthearted exchange about the construction industry in general awaits you in today's episode of Construction Site. 

Have fun listening!