Cold War Housing Heritage in the Making: The Case of Ştei/Oraş Dr. Petru Groza (Romania)

Ştei, a town in western Romania built in the 1950s near a uranium mine, is a rare example of well-preserved Soviet-style urbanism and Socialist Realist housing. The construction materials and techniques employed, such as timber panelling, indicate an initially temporary settlement that subsequently evolved into a permanent town. Today, Ştei’s built environment serves as a key historical source, as archival records are scarce. Despite changes following housing privatization in the 1990s, many buildings remain intact, and local terms like BW and DK still reflect the site's Cold War legacy. While the municipality seeks heritage recognition through networks like ATRIUM, Romanian law offers little protection for residential heritage. This article explores how institutions and residents perceive transformation and care and asks how heritage policies can balance expert frameworks with local interests to support inclusive preservation of Cold War housing heritage.