Foster + Partners developed a visionary masterplan for a 38-hectare site at the heart of Constanța, a port city in the Dobrogea historical region of Romania. The practice has worked closely with local stakeholders and IULIUS, a real estate developer and operator specialising in mixed-use urban regeneration projects in Romania, to bring this masterplan to life. The design revitalises the previously industrial site, transforming it into a thriving “city within a city” complete with cultural and educational buildings, retail, entertainment, sports and leisure facilities, as well as verdant public parks and botanical gardens.
Strategically located in the centre of Constanța, the masterplan’s influence extends far beyond the site, promising a positive impact on the wider city. The mixed-use scheme addresses seasonal fluctuations in visitor numbers by offering a diverse range of activities and attractions that appeal to residents and visitors year-round. Drawing on extensive community surveys, the masterplan introduces new typologies of buildings and public spaces that are currently missing from the city’s urban fabric.
Extensive landscaping across the site draws inspiration from the local ecological context, with hundreds of mature trees providing environmental benefits and enhancing the well-being of the city’s residents. Existing structures, such as silos, have been repurposed as theatres and pavilions for community gatherings and events, while new green pathways and cycle lanes along the site’s periphery enhance mobility and reconnect previously disparate parts of the city.
