Lacul Tei WAVE Living Lab 2021

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Area	Tei Lake
Place	Bucharest
Country	Romania
Topics	WAVE Project
Author(s)	BOBE Ana-Cristina/ LUNGU Alexandra Beti/ MITRESCU Sergiu/ RISTEA Diana-Ioana/ STROBLEA Ștefania/ ANDONE Samuel

Rationale

• Why do you think this case is relevant? What is your hypothesis considering the landscape challenges?
• Format: 3-4 sentences

Location and scope

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Water as a natural system

Geomorphology, typologies and dynamics of water areas

• Describe the water areas of your area in the contxt of the wider water system

The Tei Lake is located in Bucharest, in the northern part of Sector 2, at the intersection of the parallel 44 ° 28'16 "north latitude and the meridian 26 ° 07'10" east longitude. The Tei Lake is part of the chain of 18 anthropic lakes that have been made along the Colentina valley, between Bufeta and Cernica, for various purposes such as: hydropower production, water supply, flow regulation, tourism, leisure, etc.

The Colentina River is a stream that springs in the Șontânga-Doicești area, near the town of Târgoviște, in Dâmbovița County, and runs a route of 101 km south to the town of Cernica, where it flows into the Dâmbovița River. In the local context of Bucharest, the Colentina River has the largest surface area of water: approx. 1300 ha and it is the main hydrographic axis that crosses the city, having a length of 37,4 km. Regarding the anthropic lake system, it includes 15 lakes, 10 of which are located on the administrative territory of Bucharest, starting at an altitude of 131 m and ending at 54.1 m. From upstream to downstream it is chained in the following lakes:

• Buftea Lake (307 ha);

• Mogoșoaia Lake (66 ha);

• Chitila Lake (75 ha);

• Străulești Lake (39 ha);

• Grivița Lake (80 ha);

• Băneasa Lake (40 ha) - a geothermal water treatment base operates on its shore;

• Herastrau Lake (77 ha);

• Floreasca Lake (70 ha);

• Tei Lake (80 ha) - here there is a student sports complex;

• Plumbuita Lake (55 ha);

• Colentina Lake (29 ha);

• Fundeni Lake (123 ha);

• Dobroești Lake (120 ha) – it is also called Lake Pantelimon I;

• Pantelimon Lake (260 ha) - it is also called Lake Pantelimon II, and on its shore is the hotel complex " Lebăda";

• Cernica Lake (360 ha);

The construction of anthropic lakes began in 1933, and took place in 2 stages: the first stage between 1933 and 1940 when 7 of the 15 lakes were built, including: Buftea Lake, Herastrau Lake, Floreasca Lake and Baneasa Lake, and the second stage from 1968 to 1970, in which the following 8 lakes were built, including the Tei Lake.

• How does water appear in the landscape of your living lab? What types of water areas are common?

There are two types of major water areas in our living lab: rivers and artificial lakes or reservoirs/water storages, which are constructed on those rivers or artificially introduced in parks. Besides the two natural rivers that cross the city: Dâmbovița and Colentina (which have also underwent anthropic interventions and are characterized by an anthropical landscape), all the water areas are artificially made by man, most of them being artificial lakes with storage or anthropic excavations in the most important parks.

The most important river in our living lab is Colentina River, a natural river which is situated in the north part of the city and has a system of 18 artificial lakes built on it, each of them in an important recreation area. Part of this system is Lacul Tei, a water storage area separated by dams from the Floreasca and Plumbuita Lakes, both water storages as well. Also, in the Colentina valley you can find Titan Lake, which is a one of the 3 lakes built in an anthropic excavation.

• Please identify the water bodies' catchment areas, tributaries and floodplains.

Tei Lake is situated along Colentina River and is preceded by Floreasca Lake and followed by Plumbuita Lake. The Colentina River has as tributaries the Rivers: Baranga, Crevedia, Valea Saulei. The entirety of the lake is 80 hectares and its catchments and floodplains are in its northern and north-western part of the lake due to the slope of the terrain.

• Which dynamics do these water areas have?

The water areas in and around Bucharest are characterized by a perpetual dynamic of change, a pattern which is easily identifiable through a historic comparison. When looking at an earlier map, such as the one drawn up by Colonel Specht in 1790, the first thing which catches the eye are the thoroughly formed banks. The plan commissioned by the Romanian military authorities at the dawn of the 20th century confirm this state of fact, the interwar period marking the beginning of an ambitions process of reigning in the natural dynamics of these water areas. Works began in 1933, aimed at creating 18 anthropic lakes out of the Colentina river, beginning from the North-Western end of the river. In 1937 the projects finally edged towards the South-Eastern area of the waterway, focused on mending the Colentina riverbed, giving birth to what nowadays are known as the Tei, Fundeni, Dobroești and Pantelimon lakes. The project is partly finished in 1938, being picked up again by the communist authorities. A 1976 soviet map highlights the emergence of a channel between the Tei and Fundeni lakes. In the 1980s, alongside many other mammoth construction projects, the dictatorial regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu commissions complex hydrotechnical operations with the purpose of further anthropization of the river through works on the riverbed. The bold water infrastructure planning was never followed through due to the demise of the regime, the post-communist period witnessing a slow but certain degradation of the lakes. Nowadays, the Tei lake can be considered to be one of the luckier ones, its strands hosting a wide plethora of leisure facilities. The Western, Southern and Northern sides of it are flanked by outdoor sport facilities, a park containing a small amusement park within as well as a sizeable outdoor swimming pool. Due to its immediate vicinity to the business district located up North, as well as a premium residential complex and high-end leisure locations situated on its Eastern shore, there are solid premises for an increase of interest in and around the lake. The water areas in and around Bucharest are characterized by a perpetual dynamic of change, a pattern which is easily identifiable through a historic comparison. When looking at an earlier map, such as the one drawn up by Colonel Specht in 1790, the first thing which catches the eye are the thoroughly formed banks. The plan commissioned by the Romanian military authorities at the dawn of the 20th century confirm this state of fact, the interwar period marking the beginning of an ambitions process of reigning in the natural dynamics of these water areas. Works began in 1933, aimed at creating 18 anthropic lakes out of the Colentina river, beginning from the North-Western end of the river. In 1937 the projects finally edged towards the South-Eastern area of the waterway, focused on mending the Colentina riverbed, giving birth to what nowadays are known as the Tei, Fundeni, Dobroești and Pantelimon lakes. The project is partly finished in 1938, being picked up again by the communist authorities. A 1976 soviet map highlights the emergence of a channel between the Tei and Fundeni lakes. In the 1980s, alongside many other mammoth construction projects, the dictatorial regime of Nicolae Ceaușescu commissions complex hydrotechnical operations with the purpose of further anthropization of the river through works on the riverbed. The bold water infrastructure planning was never followed through due to the demise of the regime, the post-communist period witnessing a slow but certain degradation of the lakes. Nowadays, the Tei lake can be considered to be one of the luckier ones, its strands hosting a wide plethora of leisure facilities. The Western, Southern and Northern sides of it are flanked by outdoor sport facilities, a park containing a small amusement park within as well as a sizeable outdoor swimming pool. Due to its immediate vicinity to the business district located up North, as well as a premium residential complex and high-end leisure locations situated on its Eastern shore, there are solid premises for an increase of interest in and around the lake.

• Have there been any flood events in the past?

Many Eastern European cities that are prone to floods are in close proximity to industrial areas, mining operations, or are host to brownfield sites. As a result, people and settlements in the region run a significant risk to be exposed to contaminated and toxic waters.Romania is known as one of the most flood-prone countries in Europe. Bucharest is located in the southeastern part of the country, within the Argeş River watershed, in a region belonging to the Romanian Plain, where drainage density is high and elevations are of 60–90 m. Its territory is crossed on a northwest–southeast direction by the Dâmboviţa and Colentina rivers, which have large floodplains and terraces where the city has found good conditions for its sprawl. However, because of this location in a floodplain area, Bucharest has high flood risk susceptibility. Consequently, in order to avoid such events, since the 18th century, the authorities have imposed a number of protection measures and have developed engineering techniques. It is rare to see a year without serious flooding in Romania.Since the 2002 floods, Romania was the most affected by the 2005 floods as it was faced with the most powerful and widespread floods and also the highest. The 2010 Romanian floods were the result of an extreme weather event that struck Romania in late June 2010, 21 people died. Deadly flash floods hit Romania after the worst drought in 100 years and heaviest floods in 200 years, last year in 2020.

• add 2-3 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

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  Water storages along Colentina River

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  Tei Lake Floodplains

Water as a living space

• Which habitats can be found in and along the water areas of your area?

The vegetation and fauna of Tei Lake is endangered as the water level is continuously decreasing. The decrease of the water surface endangers both the fauna in the area - composed of fish, turtles and birds - as well as the existence of the Egyptian water lily, which grows on the lake and which is rarely found in Romania. Sport fishing is practiced. The lake is populated annually with species such as: carp, crucian, pikeperch and catfish.In the northern part of Lake Tei, there were greenhouses and orchards for research and practice for the University of Agronomy. They are now being cleared to make way for new buildings to be built.

• How is the water quality in your water areas?

The water quality in the chain of anthropic lakes of the Colentina river is inadequate, due to the direct discharge into the river of the industrial units and residential areas wastewaters, from the following areas: Buftea, Crevedia and Mogoșoaia. Also, according to the analyses of the water quality carried out by the National Administration of Romanian Waters and by the Bucharest Lakes, Parks and Recreation Administration, in the water were found pathogenic germs, that indicate the fact that it was contaminated with faeces of human or animal origin. They also have found that the maximum permitted values for cadmium, copper and lead are exceed. These are heavy metals that can be a danger to human health if the water is consumed directly from the river or if the fish from the contaminated water is consumed excessively.

Over time, large amounts of silts have been deposited on the bottom of the lake, transported by the waters that supply the chain of anthropic lake. These silts deposits had the effect of decreasing the initial depth of the lakes, which facilitated the excessive growth of aquatic vegetation during the summer. Therefore the water turned green, creating an inappropriate appearance and also the impossibility of enjoying leisure activities such as: swimming, boating etc.

• Which areas are still natural, which are urbanised/artificial?

The land use in this area is atypical for a lake because the protection area is ignored around the southern edge of the bayou and also in the middle area that contains a peninsula. This is due to the rapid urbanization of the city and the attractiveness of having a house near a water body. The urban areas around the lake are comprised of a few residential buildings (both individual residences and apartment buildings), sports bases, some orchards and up north an abandoned industrial area that’s now transitioning to residential establishments as well.

The northern edge has mainly preserved its’ natural elements due to the high risk of floods, although some construction sites can be seen not far from the border of the lake. On the sidewalks that can be found along the lake it’s almost impossible to see any of its beauty due to high-rise fences or neglected vegetation areas. Tei Park is the one public place where the lake can be admired, apart from the villas and residential buildings that have a view of the lake (but they’re not open for public).

The Lake itself deals with damaged vegetation patches and areas that need to be restored, but overall, despite the urban areas so close by, it has managed to keep a natural ambiance and its natural characteristics somewhat present. The natural habitat is unstructured and not fully incorporated in the urban fabric. The modern trends of development of water and near-water areas with low-rise buildings affect more or less clearly the quality of the green and blue infrastructure. Although there are natural landscape elements present, not introducing it into the urban landscape is a misuse of natures’ assets and intrinsic attractiveness that could positively impact the area.

• Are the rivers permeable for fish or blocked by artificial elements?(approx 200 signs)

The connection between the two bodies of water neighbouring Tei Lake (Floreasca lake to the West and Plumbuita lake to the east) is made through a narrowed down channel, allowing for unrestricted passagge of fish.

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  Urban and Natural Areas Impact on the Lake

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Blue and Green Infrastructure

• What are the major potential elements of a green/blue infrastructure network? Are these likely to change/disappear? Why is that?

The green infrastructure is mainly constituted by well-functioning biophysical micro-systems, to which management plans that come as a measure to the DRR (Disaster Risk Reduction) and CCA (climate change adaptation) may be applied to and, in the case of Tei Lake, is represented as two types of elements: spaces and lines, defined by urban forests, orchards, different sizes of green spaces as parks to gardens to street trees. The green infrastructure can be fractured in more systems at different scales, such as green networks: mezzo and micro, all of them combined defining the macro green system, which is the principal layer of the green infrastructure.

The blue infrastructure includes, as the name suggests, all bodies of waters, in various types of systems at different scales. Tei Lake is one of the major elements in Bucharest’s blue infrastructure, being one of the artificial chain lakes of the Colentina River, the biggest blue axis of the city at a macro level, followed by the Dâmbovița River axis.

The blue/green infrastructure is often used as a benefit for the flood control policies (as along the water line you often have floodable areas and unstable land due to the water damage which can be both solved by planting the right trees to stabilize the land and manage floods) and also in the ecological system and infrastructure and the socio-economics, as it can be seen as a point of attraction.

At a macro level - the city’s scale - the chain of lakes among the Colentina River is a strong blue/green axis, there being a concentration of both major blue and green infrastructure elements. In the Tei Lake’s local area, there are a lot of potential elements for a green/blue infrastructure network, as you can find an urban forest and an orchard right next to the lake’s north shore, but unfortunately most of them have been cut down in order to be urbanised. On the south shore, there is actually a hybrid infrastructure: blue, green and grey. The urban fabric is really dense as the urbanisation and the densification is the first priority for the sector’s hall and development strategy, but Lake Tei is one of the greenest neighbourhoods in the city, having small parks nearby (like Tei Park, Circus Park and Verdi Park) which are connected with green alignments that follow almost every road in the road infrastructure.

The area with potential for development is the zone adjacent to the lake, which currently is defined by different typologies of residential areas and sports/agrement centers. Those could be included in the city's blue/green infrastructure as ecological sysmems as ecological or green "villages" or neighbourhoods - for exemple the Tei Toboc island which is a whole houses neighbourhood within an island between Plumbuita and Tei Lake, or green methods as green walls or vertical gardens could be included in the collective housing area near the Tei Park. Also, on the north shore the new inserted buildings can be transformed in green residences in order to not agress or affect the urban orchard and forest that have been cut off for them to be built. This way, it could lead to a defined blue/green axis, as if there won't be any intervention those potential spaces will become gray areas due to the urbanisation and high density building trend.

• add 1-2 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

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  Principal blue and green axis of Bucharest

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  Green matrix along Tei Lake. Density of green spaces.

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  'Blue and green infrastructure elements on Tei Lake. Elements of potential

Water as a cultural space

Land use and water

• map the land uses along your water areas: settlements, infrastructure, agriculture, resource extraction, natural areas, energy production...
• describe in particular the historical evolution of land use pattern, please make use of historical maps

In the 19th century, the Colentina River was not under the public administration of Bucharest City, however along the river were different human settlements, developed in an unorganized way, that can be indicated on the Wallachia map. As previously mentioned, between 1930 and 1940, numerous anthropic lakes were constructed along the Colentina River, including the Tei Lake. The hydrotechnical works suffered by the river in the last 60 years have irreversibly changed its appearance and functionality.

The hydrotechnical works executed between 1933 and 1972 had the following roles: supplementing the river flow, creating the chain of 18 anthropic lakes and reducing the risk of flooding and other associated risks. Before these hydrotechnical works executed along the Colentina River, poor families were settled, with shattered dwellings specific to the peripheries from the first half of the 20th century. The newly created chain of anthropic lakes has brought many benefits from both aesthetically and economically points of view. Therefore, in the study area were developed activities of fish farming and were established many parks and places of recreation. As a result of these changes the quality of life was increased considerably. The topographic maps and the old plans from different temporary periods, managed to capture, in general, the changes of the study area, thus representing an important basis for the analysis of the time dynamics of the Tei Lake.

The configuration of the Tei Lake has changed considerably in terms of area, shape and nearby land. Its surface has increased to 45 ha in 1931, extending to the northwest and northeast. The Tei Garden is mentioned for the first time on the Bucharest City map, and it was developed on the former lands destined for the pits behind the “Tonola” Brick Factory. The process of arranging the Tei Park began in 1948, after the end of the First World War. The name "Tei" comes from the areas populated by surrounding linden trees. In fact, the nomenclature has even extended to the transport network in the nearby area.

Between 1931 and 1939 there can be noticed a significant development in terms of road infrastructure in the northern part of the lake. Also, the Pipera Nursery is mentioned for the first time on the Bucharest City Map from 1939. The representation from the 1940 map suggests the development of new residential areas in the north-western, western and eastern parts of the lake. Between 1940 and 1968 can be noticed the process of urbanization of the area near the lake, the lands occupied by houses are being suffocated by the new blocks of flats. Also, by 1970 the surface of the lake reached 49 ha.

Until 1980, were made numerous changes, such as: the construction of the Tei Student Sports Complex, the construction of the Glucose Factory, which was located in the northwest, and the appearance of a small swamp in the east. After 1989, significant changes were made in terms of urban development. The territory of the city was the support for a chaotic urban development “supported” by the lack of a coherent urbanism legislation and by the lack of some useful urban and real estate development plans and strategies. Regarding the study area, these changes are noticeable because of the real estate development in the northern part of the lake, where individual houses were built, and in the north-western part, where residential groups of collective houses were built.

Currently, there is a densification of residential areas, especially in the eastern part of the lake, where the Tei Toboc neighbourhood is located, which is a disadvantaged area, the inhabitants being part of a low-income community.

• description evolution, status quo and driving forces, is the land use likely to change? Why is that? (approx 200 signs)
• add 1-2 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

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Cultural and spatial typologies of water areas

• Which spatial patterns have evolved in relation to your water areas?
• What is the role of water areas within the overall urban morphology? (approx 200 signs)
• add 1-2 graphical representations to the image gallery, you can add more if you like

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Sacred spaces and heritage

• Which places/elements hold cultural value and to whom?
• You may add a map and some images, please also explain in your caption why these elements are valuable

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Visual appearance and landscape narrative

• Which elements are essential for the landscape character?

Tei Lake has an essential and central role in the area being the main natural element in this neighborhood. The characteristics of this natural habitat have been modeled by men and nature, the lake with its flora and fauna are resulting in a distinctive image that most people in the city know.

• Has the landscape been painted or otherwise depicted, when and whom? Which elements are essential?

There are two paintings of the lake, one that’s called “View of Lake Tei” painted by Jean Alexandru Steriadi and that’s hung in The Art Collections Museum in Bucharest and one in the National Museum of Art Bucharest that’s called “Urban Landscape (Tei Lake)” Painted by Moser Padina, Alexandru in oil on canvas.

Jean Al. Steriadi’s painting was made in 1927 and it’s signed and dated in the down-right corner in black. This painting made in oil depicts a bit of the lake and its surroundings, the buildings of the era that look nothing like the villas we can find there today. The buildings and the trees reflect in the water and the author painted a serene and peaceful place in broad daylight.

The second painting shows on the mirror of a water 3 sailing boats, one of which is placed right in the center of the composition. In the back you can see buildings and natural elements of this tranquil urban landscape.

• Which narratives exist? Who has written about this landscape or depicted it in some way?

In the past the lake has been nicknamed “Student lake” towards the end of the communist era in Bucharest. There was also a pub with the same name on the edge of the lake. This area of the lake didn’t always have a good reputation as in the ‘30s and ‘40s the press talked a lot about the unpleasant people that lived there and the frequent scandals that escalated from small arguments. Then the Tei Park and the Lake started being taken care of by the communists and the local administration and it started flourishing.

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  View of Lake Tei by artist Jean-Alexandru-Steriadi

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  “Urban Landscape (Tei Lake)” Painted by Moser Padina, Alexandru

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  RUGBY STADIUM, from THE FORMER BEACH OF THE TEI COMPLEX (picture from Mihnea Mihalache-Fiastru in an article for vice.com)

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  THE HOTEL OF THE STUDENT COMPLEX (picture from Mihnea Mihalache-Fiastru in an article for vice.com)

Water and People

Accessibility and usability

• Where are your water areas accessible, and where not? How strong are spatial obstacles preventing access?
• Who is using the spaces and how?

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Community Mapping

What is to be mapped here?

• Social groups from within the community, for example the youth, kids, students, parents, the retired etc. Typically, these groups have specific needs, which you can also make explicit on the map. These people might not be organized in any way, but they are usually present in the context you are observing
• Local stakeholder groups: these groups are organized in one or the other way. They only exist within the community context you are observing. For example: the local community center, local churches, local interest groups, the landowners, small businesses and retailers
• External stakeholder groups are not necessarily present in the environment you are observing, but they may have strong stakes and interests. These can be local authorities, politicians, associations, care services etc.
• For each group, you may identify their needs, objectives, power and capacities
• You may also identify gaps and power conflicts
• Please try to redepict these elements in an integrated way and in relation to your water landscape. What is the relationship between these groups? Are they close or distanced from each other? Who is more powerful? Which voices are hardly heard? Do they have any shared concerns?

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Possible Futures

• You can summarize your findings with a SWOT diagram and a DPSI(R) Model
• Link back to the Sustainable Development Goals: Which goals are at risk?
• What is your worst case scenario for this landscape?
• What is your best case scenario for this landscape?
• Present your scenarios in the form of a collage or sketch
• Add text and visuals

• Your case your spider diagram or dpsir model.jpg

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Collaborative Goal Setting

• Define strategic planning objectives based on the evaluation findings from your analysis
• Ideally, involve the community of your living labs into this process
• Link back to your original targets from section one and the Development Goals
• 150 words text contribution

Spatial Strategy and Transect

• translate your strategic goals into a vision
• develop a spatial translation of your vision
• exemplify your vision in the form of a transect with concrete interventions
• add map(s) and visualizations

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From Theory of Change to Implementation

• For implementing your vision: Which partnerships are needed? Which governance model is required?
• Who needs to act and how? Draw and explain a change/process model/timeline
• Which resources are needed? On which assets can you build?
• add 150 words text and visuals

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References

• give a full list of the references you have used for your case

Process Reflection

• Reflect in your intercultural and interdisciplinary team on the outcomes of your study
• Which limitations were you facing?
• What have you learnt from each other?
• What did you learn in the Living Labs?
• What would you do differently next time?
• You can also use diagrams/visuals
• 250 words text

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