"Steaua Română" Refinery: The Landmark Without a Community

The oil refining industry holds great importance for Romania, as it contributed to the country’s economic growth and European prestige since the late 19th century. However, nowadays many refineries are entering a post-industrial era that is bluntly unappreciative of their cultural value. In search of quick profit, the new private owners dismantle these industrial platforms without any prior assessment. “Steaua Română” refinery in Câmpina is the oldest existing refinery in Romania and the only one that has largely preserved its physical integrity and authenticity, encapsulating the entire history of the oil industry worldwide. It also represents the core of a highly valuable industrial cultural landscape in the Câmpina area and could play a pivotal role in the post-industrial development of the region.

„Steaua Română” industrial site is a powerful example of resilience and continuity and an exceptional resource for social awareness and education, for urban development, adaptive reuse of buildings and industrial heritage preservation. Unfortunately, its potential does not ensure a positive outcome, as it faces great obstacles, such as the ignorance and disinformation of the local community, the pressure from real estate investors, the small number of professionals involved in this niche domain, the authorities’ lack of vision and involvement towards the public interest, the ambiguous and incomplete Romanian legislation on industrial heritage, and the absence of dedicated state programs and policies.