Urban Sociology Laboratory of the Capital City (Laboratorul de Sociologie Urbană al Capitalei) was established in 1969 and have received, since 1970 some of the first graduates of the Faculty of Sociology, when sociology revived in Romania after the World War II. Sociological researches regarding the socio-demographic structure of the population of Bucharest, cultural legacy, regional function of the city and migration of the labour force in various economic sectors in Bucharest were conducted. Although the research reports have never been published, some scientific articles published by the anthropologist Paul Caravia, psychologists Liviu Damian and Cezarina Nicolau, sociologists Dorel Abraham, Ana Bălaşa, Lucia Toba, Sorin Rădulescu and Trăilă Cernescu and economists Gheorghe Kepes, Florica Dumitru in Buletinul Informativ of City Hall, Viitorul Social and Arhitectura journals serve as evidences.

Sociological Research and Studies Laboratory of IPCT (Institutul de Proiectare pentru Construcţii Tipizate) based on the structure established in 1969 rebranded partially due to the necessity of improving the quality of housing and partially due to the necessity of shadowing the political unwanted visibility of the former institution. The aim of this new institute was to provide scientific data (feed-back) for the adaptation of construction projects in the field of housing, industrial and cultural objectives to the needs and aspirations of the population. Hence, the main researches conducted regarded the sociology of housing and industrial sociology. Reports regarding the quality of living conditions, labour force migration, forecasts regarding the social housing needs, urbanization and psycho-sociology of housing were published by Dorel Abraham, Mihai Macavescu, Sandu Dumitru, Trăilă Cernescu, Cornel Cârţînă, Vladimir Creţoiu, Lucia Tobă, Ana Bălaşa, Victoria Bărbuţă, Mihai Milca, Vladimir Tismăneanu, Marilena Lunca, Georgeta Gheorghe, Gheorghe Alecu, Alexandru Florian, Radu Ioanid, Cătălin Mamali, Mircea Kivu, Anca Ialomiţeanu, Ecaterina Springer, Vladimir Tismăneanu, Alin Teodorescu, Dorina Turcu in Viitorului Social, Contemporanul, Arhitectura journals. Moreover, the volume “Introducerea în Sociologia Urbană”, Ed. Ştiinţifică, 1991 by Dorel Abraham was partially based on this experience.

Centrul de Sociologie Urbană şi Regională – CURS (Center Center for Urban and Regional Sociology) first an independent structure within IPCT from 1990 to 1996, then as joint-stock company between 1996 and 2007 when it became limited liability company, over the past 29 years CURS has conducted hundreds of studies, researches and opinion polls commissioned by government agencies, international organizations, ministries, embassies, local or multinational companies, political parties, mass-media etc.

CURS’ research projects fall into four substantive areas:
• Public Opinion Polls
• Community (urban and regional) and institutional development
• Market, Advertising and Audience Research.
• Impact Evaluation Studies.