2020_Eszter_Dani_Category_A Conceptual projects
My concept site is Avas tető, a place located in a rural area in Eastern Transylvania. At the time of Tatar invasions (1241-42), when the people of this place locals observed the enemy, they lit alarm fires, so that they could hide and defend themselves better. This bonfire inspired the place’s spirituality.
Nowadays this tradition is still alive, every year on August 20th inhabitants of two villages together light a prestigious bonfire on Avas tető. The place is visited on the other days of the year too, for hiking or just simply to enjoy the view hiking.
A few years ago a half concrete and half part wood construction was built, which is bother ing the view and its design is different from the place’s spirituality. Over the years a cross and a flagpole were
built, people brought there an altar stone, a memorial stone, and other stones in the form of a pentagram, which do not belong there. These piled up elements lead to the fading of the place’s spirituality.
My concept’s goal is that visitors should remember the tradition of alarm fires not just on August 20th, but on every day of the year, and also to show this tradition not just to locals, but to visitors too. In order to achieve this the permanent place of the bonfire would be highlighted in form of a land art work with the motif of a sun, which symbolizes the eternal fire. At some peaks of the sun the directions of other alarm fires are indicated with bigger rocks. Beside the sun symbol, a waning moon was also placed, which together are local Szekler symbols.
Next to the land art work the stones, the concrete and wooden buildings would be removed. These gestures could strengthen the spirituality of the Avas tető.
