Buzescu - A Manifesto for the Rromani Vernacular

Rromani architecture is a controversial phenomenon that has long influenced Romania's socio-cultural environment. It has spread to other Eastern European countries, though not as persistently as in Romania. Despite being one of Europe's largest minorities, Rroma's constructions have received little study until recently. This new design style has sparked heated debates, owing to widespread negative stereotypes about this particular cultural group. The international media has labelled it as a tasteless display of wealth, reducing it to haphazard unplanned construction. New academic studies, however, have revealed that these developments are in fact inextricably linked to the Rromani heritage. The antagonistic perception of Rromani architecture stems from the ethnic group's history on the European continent. They have been labelled as an inferior race since their arrival on European soil, useful only for their entertaining abilities as performers. Their bleak history culminates in the mediaeval period when they were enslaved for nearly three centuries. They were able to obtain emancipation with the arrival of the Enlightenment. However, the past mentality has survived and gained control of the collective judgement. Thus, an entire continent has become a victim of involuntary racism, caused by a social amnesia which led its entire population to forget a people's enslavement. Despite popular belief, Rromani architecture is a type of cultural manifestation that incorporates Rroma heritage into its communication. The used language, however, is not widely understood by the general public. This resulted in the hatred of this new stylistic typology. Because the meaning behind its symbology is only known to the Rroma community, outsiders are unable to deciphering its meaning and relate to it. This paper will investigate whether Rromani architecture can be considered a new vernacular. It will investigate the history of the Rroma and the perceptions of its members by first exploring what informal architecture is and its characteristics. It will then research the heritage, traditions, and mentality in this community. Finally, it will examine Rromani architecture, its symbolism, and its role before concluding with a self-conducted case study that will demonstrate the relationship between the presented theory.