Romania showcases 'Laboratorul lui Zubía' at Concéntrico architecture festival

Romania is celebrating its seventh participation in the Concéntrico architecture and design festival, held in Logroño, Spain, from June 18 to 23. This year marks the 12th edition of the festival, where Romania is presenting an installation titled 'Laboratorul lui Zubía'.

The installation is inspired by the Glorieta del Doctor Zubía park and honors Ildefonso Zubía Icazuriaga, a notable pharmacist, naturalist, and professor who lived from 1819 to 1891. His extensive research covered various fields of natural sciences, particularly botany, and his herbarium, published thirty years after his death, features around 4,300 specimens of algae, fungi, lichens, bryophytes, and vascular plants.

The Romanian project, designed by the Zeppelin Design group—comprising architects Cosmina Goagea, Constantin Goagea, and Dinu Hoinărescu—serves as an architectural apparatus for perceiving, amplifying, and rediscovering the environment. The festival operates almost like a science of events, inviting visitors to engage with their surroundings in new and meaningful ways.

The installation features two main devices: a kaleidoscope and a microscope. The kaleidoscope invites users to stretch and immerse themselves in a fragmented composition of the sky and trees, refracting the landscape into a constantly transforming visual field. Its internal prismatic geometry acts as an acoustic funnel, enhancing the auditory experience.

The microscope allows for an amplified observation of environmental fragments, where visitors can explore details like insects and leaf structures. This interaction isn’t passive; both children and adults can collect small objects from the park and place them behind the microscope lenses, transforming the courtyard into a micro-observatory of urban nature.

Constantin Goagea reflects on the serendipitous discovery of Doctor Zubía, stating that encountering an unknown story can lead to beautiful experiences. Javier Peña-Ibáñez, the festival director, expressed interest in the project, highlighting Zubía's significance to Logroño.

Romania's participation in the festival has been supported by ICR Madrid since 2020, with previous installations including 'Fiesta' in 2020, 'No words conversation' in 2021, 'Casa cu patru palmieri' in 2022, and 'Fresa' in 2023. Looking ahead, Romania will present 'Fântâna' in 2024 and 'Dormind în fân' in 2025, continuing its celebration of architecture and design.