Green Masterplan for Palas Iași Unveiled, Transforming the Heart of Romania’s Historic City

7:42 pm UTC April 3, 2025 Apr 3, 2025 | by: Foster + Partners | Architecture

(Photo by: Foster + Partners)

Foster + Partners has revealed plans for a sustainable and vibrant masterplan in Iași, Romania, to revitalize the iconic Palace of Culture area. This forward-thinking design will enhance urban connectivity, create dynamic public spaces, and offer a modern shopping experience while preserving the city's rich history.

A transformative green masterplan for the historic heart of Iași, Romania, has been designed by the renowned firm Foster + Partners. The scheme rejuvenates the area around the Palace of Culture, reinforcing the relationship between the iconic structure and the park while enhancing access to the city center. The design introduces new public spaces, including vibrant shopping streets, and extends the park, creating an inviting environment for locals and visitors alike. This development also reimagines the Palas Iași mixed-use project, reconnecting its buildings to their surroundings and elevating the retail experience.

Stefan Behling, Head of Studio at Foster + Partners, commented: “The masterplan completely revitalizes the city's heart and improves connections to its center with generous, tree-lined pedestrian walkways. Greenery and incredible new public spaces are woven through the urban realm, transforming the city experience and reframing the spectacular Palace of Culture.”

At the core of the design, the neo-Gothic Palace of Culture is celebrated with new landscaping, which unites the site’s two sides and creates a green entrance from Stefan cel Mare Boulevard. The landscape design incorporates stunning water features, sloping lawns, interactive play zones for children, and outdoor event areas, making the space engaging and relaxing. Historical and archaeological elements are carefully preserved throughout to ensure future generations can enjoy them.

Foster + Partners’ design enhances the existing Palas Mall, introducing an innovative indoor-outdoor market plaza that extends from the central atrium toward the palace and the park. This new plaza and a modern glass façade will improve the mall’s visual and spatial connection to the surrounding area. Traditional local motifs decorate the stone flooring, and a striking glass lighting feature adds a sculptural touch. The design encourages well-being, with green spaces and cafés seamlessly flowing between the atrium and the park.

The adjacent events hall is also being revamped, with its rooftop transformed into new green event spaces offering panoramic views of the entire development and drawing inspiration from local architectural styles. A unified ‘plinth’ base ties together all the buildings around the site, providing sheltered spaces for restaurants and cafés.

Maximilian Zielinski, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners, remarked: “Our design seamlessly reconnects Palas with its surroundings and extends the park experience through the atrium and the rooftops. The revitalized building features an indoor-outdoor public plaza, which will open onto the landscape and create new lines of sight towards the palace.”

Daniel Zielinski, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners, added: “We are preserving historic features within the landscape and incorporating traditional Romanian patterns to celebrate the city of Iași – and ensure the scheme sensitively reflects its context.”