Underground spaces and their memorial function Part 2 Dissertation 2007 Dan STROESCU Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism | Romania At the dawn of 21st century, the construction process still doesn’t cease to face an old dilemma: to develop building vector upwards or instead downwards? The post-industrial world may lead avoiding an easy answer – nowadays the confidence in the top technology as substitute for natural environment has decreased, and the iconic end of the World Trade Center is, possibly, the proof against the high-rise buildings as the safest environment ever possible. Instead, the subterranean space that has been an option since the early stage of the civilization may seem an alternative for contemporary architecture. While the mythology and the basic human perception will always prohibit the underground for dwelling or spending the time, today the “underworld” preserves a potential for symbolic spaces. Going beyond the formal association between underground and evil, without denying the thrilling way of being of the underground, may lead to apprehend the space where tactile and close perception replaces the long distance panorama and urban composition. The subterranean architecture shall never be about building under the surface Sci – Fi like cities and worlds, instead it’s about shifting the underground space from the anonymous parking and strictly functional areas to places with aesthetic features. The subterranean should neither replace, nor emulate the above world – it is something of its own principles of perception and building. Is this about aesthetics of the architectural space carved in the solid instead of the solid build in the middle of the void? The answer comes from a brief history of subterranean, as a parallel ambient to the above ground one, but one generated upon its very own rules. Just the same as the architectural environment determines the quality of the above ground object, the underground is conditioned by the geology. It is about the very own logic of the galleries, instead of the static principles of the above ground structures.Not at all denying technology, but using it in a different way of creating an architectural environment: the man of the caves is surprisingly very actual.Stud. Arch. Dan STROESCU“Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest, Romania "Underground Spaces and their memorial function" was nominated to represent our University for mainly three distinct qualities:Both questioning pertinently and generating a coherent investigation method within the concept of underground spaces, this dissertation signalize an intriguing possibility for the architectural environment becoming.It is rewarding to discover that a student in architecture does not only “label” concepts and paradigms that are fashionable (and henceforth highly seductive) nowadays but articulates its theoretical approach in a profound and well dosage manner.Extremely precise and update documented the dissertation clearly shows a deep involvement in the debated topics.Lecturer Arch. Florian STANCIU“Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest.