WWF eco-hub puts small Romanian town on the map

Every cottage in the WeWilder hub has a tailor-made view curated for light and landscape

Today, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced the opening of a new Eco-sustainable hub at the foot of the Țarcu Mountains in Romania. The hub is located near the small municipality of Armeniș and is close to the site where eight years ago the organization reintroduced the European wild bison to the country.

The space should create a high-value micro-economy in the region that centres around bison, conservation and sustainability. Also, the unique design of the space would help put Armeniș on the map.

The hub itself is located in a 1.5-hectare orchard and is built entirely out of wood. It is supposed to be used as starting point for hikes, as well as a conference retreat, where teams can search for ideas for the future, in close collaboration with the local community.

Moreover, the so-called WeWilder campus is the result of the collaboration between the WWF, Rewilding Europe and Armeniș City Hall. It was funded and developed by WWF Romania, thanks to support from the Flex Foundation of around 200,000 dollars, with a total cost of 350,000 euros.

According to an official statement by the Wildlife Fund, the rural eco-hub has already hosted a sustainability conference focused on innovation between leaders from 10 global NGOs.

Blending development with nature

One of the most prominent features of the WeWilder hub is that the complex is made entirely out of wood. It consists of four buildings, the Zâna, inspired by a traditional shed with a large glass wall overlooking the hills ofArmeniș, and three tiny houses.

The structures have beech panels on the outside, a non-traditional choice of wood, that nonetheless represents the local reputation as ‘beech country’. The main building also holds a mess hall, conference hall and a library in the attic.

The cottages, on the other hand, are each oriented towards a specific view that combines a light and landscape experience. Additionally, the buildings are energy efficient and need very little heating and cooling

Apart from hosting NGO meetings, the space will also be offered as an eco-tourism destination, as well as an event space. However, in keeping with the WWF ethos, 10% of the revenue made there will go towards conservation efforts.

Orieta Hulea, CEO of WWF Romania, was quoted in an official statement, explaining that the WWF has taken a big step outside its comfort zone to co-create a micro-economy around conservation and bison watching in the region. However, she also pointed out that by involving locals and the wider world, the conservation project in the region can become more sustainable and resilient.