Escapism in Ceaușescu’s Romania. The Case of Gheorghe Săsărman’s Science Fiction.

During the 1970s, in Romania, architects adopted a unique approach to challenge the prevailing architectural system. As Dana Vais outlined, instead of directly confronting the political climate of their time, they created new boundaries for professional action through two alternate approaches: escapism and engaged activism. Architect Gheorghe Sasarman represented the former approach, expanding his professional scope beyond conventional practice through pursuits such as science fiction writing and editorial work for Arhitectura magazine. Moreover, Sasarman critically reflected on Ceauscescu’s Romania through his collection of socio-political satirical stories entitled Cuadratura Cercului (“Squaring the Circle”), where architecture played a significant role in symbolizing the controversial political period. Sasarman’s collection is a mirror reflecting on time, stasis and change, adaptation, hope, and futility, making the author’s political stance particularly visible. This paper delves into the evolution of Gheorghe Sasarman’s Agora column in Arhitectura and his science fiction book Cuadratura Cercului to address the theme of escapism in Romania in the 1970s, exploring the role of literature as a means of escape.