Girda de Sus, Romania
In April 2006, AFHUK acted as architectural consultants to Oxford University and World Wildlife Fund Partnership, on the design of a 12mx5m Arnica drying facility in Romania.
construction photos
Using local trades
The drying facility was designed to draw upon vernacular building methods, material and techniques, to ensure local trades carried out the work, providing employment in the area.
The building was designed to help villagers process the medicinal Arnica flowers they pick, which can then be sold directly on to European markets at rates of around 80 euros a kilogram, a 260-fold increase in the price paid by traders for unprocessed flowers previously.
Developing a sustainable economy
The project’s aim was to set up a pilot business that could then be replicated in other communities in the region, focusing on the trade of medicinal and aromatic plants, in a sustainable fashion. Under the scheme profits from the dried flowers feed back into the system as subsidies for local framers, to encourage them to keep some flowers on the fields each season to maintain ecological sustainability—in past years the local people were encouraged to pick all the Arnica flowers on their fields in order to generate income.
Working the first season after construction
The building was used to full capacity during June, July and August,
the Arnica drying season, to great success. At its height 5 people were
working in the facility every day with 2 people attending to the process
through the night. The local farming cooperative are looking forward to
another successful season in 2007.
More on Project Arnica
Further details are available in this pdf report on the project.
For press and articles featuring this project see our “In the Press” page.
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