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Radu Tîrcă and Ștefania Hîrleață are students at University of Architecture and Urbanism 'Ion Mincu', Bucharest. At present, they lead their theoretical research on the subject of thermal towns and diploma projects in Govora Baths under the guidance of Stefan Simion, Irina Tulbure and Ilinca Paun Constantinescu. As students, they won second prize and best student project in a BeeBreeders international architecture competition - Mango Vynil Hub, third prize in a Zeppelin national competition - Prototip pentru comunitate, as well as other mentions in other competitions.
Migration of Ideas
The evolution of modern countries emerged from the possibility of faster exchanging of information – the most recent innovations in all fields of activity began to be internationally presented with the occasion of national world fairs. The Chicago World Fair in 1893 covered people and cultures from 46 countries, making it the first large scene to promote new ideas that later “migrated” to other parts of the world. The wide circulation of personalities, scientists, industrialists, or cultural figures triggered an objective, unscheduled process of cultural colonization of all fields of activity. Fairs have allowed the free circulation of ideas that happened through the visitors that traveled across continents.
The conscious import of knowledge or know-how was later used by great powers, such as the USSR, to strengthen their position as world leaders with the help of the best technology available. One of the cases was Ford’s visit to Russia when he signed a contract for technical assistance in building Nizhnii Novgorod Automobile Plant. By that moment, Ford was already a famous and appreciated figure in Russia, given that there were written as many publications about him as there were about Lenin.
Images:
[1] After signing the contract for technical assistance in building the Nizhnii Novgorod Automobile Plant: Henry Ford in the middle with Valery I. Mezhlauk, vie chairman of the Supreme Council of the National Economy of the USSR and Saul G. Bron, president of Amtorg. Dearborn (1929)
[2] World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago (1893)
