An Unfinished Reminder of the Cold War
The bunker, located in the forest near the village of Olishkani not far from Sholdanesht, is one of the largest underground military bunkers on the territory of the former USSR. The bunker was never completed. It consists of two reinforced concrete structures, each 36 meters in diameter and 60 meters deep. Nearby in the forest stand unfinished multi-story buildings. Curious tourists enjoy visiting the bunker.
Attempts to demolish it have been ongoing for a long time. By a 1996 government decision, the bunker was transferred from the Ministry of Defense’s jurisdiction to that of Moldsilva. At that time, the state-owned enterprise responsible for forests was tasked with restoring the forest at this site.
In 2004, the state-owned enterprise Moldsilva signed several contracts for the demolition of the bunker, but not a single company ever began the work. As a result, no one has touched the site since 2015.
Contemporary artists took on the project
In the first phase of the “Kantemir 2026” initiative, an interdisciplinary team of architects, artists, and researchers who explored possibilities for the cultural revitalization of the abandoned space through temporary installations and interventions created specifically for this location.
The results will be presented at exhibition events organized in August 2026: at the Areal Böhler Gallery in Düsseldorf (Germany) on August 15 and at The Clay Table Gallery in The Hague (Netherlands) on August 17.
What Does “72 Hours to Colony” Mean?
The title “72 hours to Colony” refers to the European standard time frame for rapid response in emergency situations.
This reference has been reinterpreted as a symbol of the cultural revival of an abandoned space originally intended for use only in the event of a nuclear conflict.
The art intervention takes place in a former bunker decommissioned in 1991, where the team has recreated several spaces accessible without caving equipment, located at a depth of 5 to 10 meters below ground level.
In the absence of infrastructure and electricity, the artists and architects created the installations Tendom Rooms and Sound Scape Object 1180 on site, using only materials delivered to the location. The two installations offer a contemporary interpretation of the industrial spaces abandoned more than three decades ago, transforming these areas into an experimental laboratory dedicated to memory, architecture, and the relationship between industrial heritage and contemporary art.
The work carried out at this stage represents the first phase of the artistic research. The aim of this approach is to lay the groundwork for future, larger-scale projects that will include structures to protect the space and the creation of permanent architectural and artistic installations accessible to the public.
The “72 Hours to the Colony” project is being implemented in partnership with the Faculty of Urban Planning and Architecture, the National Heritage Institute, SHARE Architects, Webspire, The Broich H. Group, Revista Arhitectura, Igloo, and Zeppelin. The project is co-funded by the Romanian Cultural Institute as part of a program to fund cultural projects aimed at the international market.
