Budapest Legend
Budapesti kortárs építészet térképen
Budapest contemporary architecture map
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The Castle of Buda and its environs
Duration 180-200 minutes
Number of objects 14
How to travel public transport and walking
We begin our walk at the hotel at the Lánchíd’s (Chain bridge) bridgehead on the Buda side From here we continue along Fő street, which is the main street of Víziváros, the area between the Castle and the Danube once populated by fishermen. We make our way up to the Castle on the intimate rows of stairs. Walking along Fortuna street, we can observe the new houses built in place of those destroyed during the war. Their restrained, but modern figure is still interesting. Descending from Várhegy (Castle’s hill), we pass by the southern railway station, one of the greatest architectural achievements of the seventies in Hungary. After a few stops, we end our journey at the Millenial Park, the popular park and leisure center built on a former factory ground.
1
Hotel Lánchíd 19 Design
Hotel Lánchíd 19 Design
5
Architect Sugár Péter, Ifj. Benczúr László
Company Radius B+S Kft.
Built in 2007
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The only empty plot of the row of houses along the Danube under the Buda Castle was lot number 19, previously place to common stables. The Sugár-Benczúr duo, architects of the winning entry, had to design a 4-star hotel. The dimensions of the building align with its neighbours; the interiour layout has three parts: a part of the 47 rooms faces the Castle, the rest face the Danube, while variously places bridges provide the connection in the covered atrium of the interiour. The medieval water system of the Castle was found during construction, which can be visited today as well. The glass curtain wall facing the river is interactive: the constantly moving and changing planes "reflect" the flow of the water. The movement of the elements is influenced by the surface of the river, the changing of the weather and can also be affected by the resident of the hotel room. The extraordinary sight is even better in the dark due to the lighting. The technical and design details of the curtain wall was done by Szövetség 39 in cooperation with the architects. The building won several prices thanks to the special facade.
2
Pala house
Pala house
7
Architect Csomay Zsófia
Company CET Budapest Kft.
Built in 2005
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The main transport route in the Víziváros district under the Vár (Buda Castle) is Fő (Main) street. One of its latest buildings, the Industrialexport office building, built in 1984, designed by Zsófia Csomay and Gábor Gereben, became well-known in the whole country in the eighties: it appeared as a police station in the series „Linda”, the story of the young karate-fighter officer girl. Two decades after it was built up, one of the original designers had the opportunity to alter the house. The glazed surfaces on the frontage were replaced by limestone and brickwork, which are typical materials in the contemporary architecture of the Vár and its environs (partly due to the work of Csomay and her husband, Péter Reimholz). The somewhat exaggerated size of the seven-story office is fitted to the scale of its surroundings by the adjoint smaller building, which is covered in clinker. This adaptation can be witnessed especially on the Kapucinus street side, which is parallel to the Fő street. The covered patio houses the medieval ruins uncovered in 1977 at the demolition of the baroque buildings originally standing on the site, however, in this matter the principal’s will was different from the designer's intentions.
3
French Institute
French Institute
6
Architect Georges Maurios
Built in 1992
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The lot of Fő utca 17., property of the French Republic, stayed empty for a long time after the second world war. For a while the lot was used as a tennis court, or ice rink in the winter, providing sport activities for the French embassy. It was decided in the early 1980s that the riverside lot will give space for the new French Institute, for which an international design competition was announced. Finally constructions began in 1989 on the only Hungarian building of George Maurios, the biggest French Institute of Central-Europe. The building was inaugurated in 1992 in stark contrast with its environment due to its sharp protrusions and modern forms. Since its opening the French Institute provides space to learn the French language and to get to know the French culture.
4
Geometria (=Geometry) Business Center
Geometria (=Geometry) Business Center
6
Architect Csillag Katalin, Gunther Zsolt
Company 3h építésziroda
Built in 2016
Photo Bujnovszky Tamás
More info
5
Csík Ferenc Elementary and High School
Csík Ferenc Elementary and High School
6
Architect Sólyom Benedek, Cságoly Ferenc
Company Építész Stúdió Kft.
Built in 2003
Photo Polgár Attila
More info
6
Gym of Toldy Ferenc High School
Gym of Toldy Ferenc High School
5
Architect Földes László, Mórocz Tamás, Pethő Tamás
Company Földes és Társai Építésziroda Kft.
Built in 2004
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
This building, which gave place to one of the first secondary schools of Buda, was built up by 1859 according to the plans of János Petschnig (Johann Nepomuk Petschnig) from Graz. The neogothic building did not contain a gymnasium, so a part of the ground floor had been used for that purpose until the begining of the 21th century. The new, 1350 square meter-block was placed on the next ground-plot which opens to the lower-laying Donáti street because of the significant altitude difference. The mass of the gymnasium hall lies underground, with gardens on the roof and glass skylights providing natural lighting. In the new block, which stands in the building line of the street, are placed the dressing rooms, offices, and the medical room; the two-storied atrium connecting the two blocks functions as a grandstand as well. The brick walls inside and outside adapt to the scale, apperance and materials of the main building and the surrounding historical buildings; the ceilings were made of fair-faced concrete, the simply lined doors and windows of self-coloured wood. On the entrance door from Donáti street, a copy of the legendary lion-shaped door handle of the main building has been placed.
7
Collegium Budapest Raoul Wallenberg Guesthouse
Collegium Budapest Raoul Wallenberg Guesthouse
7
Architect Reimholz Péter, Csomay Zsófia
Company CET Budapest Kft.
Built in 2000
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The Collegium Budapest was established for Phd and postgradual students in 1991 as the first of the Institutes for Advanced Study in Middle-Europe, functioning until 2011. The school resided in the building of the former city hall of Buda, opposite of Mátyás church, while the guesthouse, finished in October 2000, stands by the stairs named Szeder leading from the church to the Víziváros down by the bank of the Danube. Because of the great difference in the altitude, the building divides into two blocks. The upper one on the Szabó Ilona street has only three stories, fitting itself to its neighbours, though looking from below, it seems to tower high above the five-storied lower section. The two kinds of covering reflect on the facades of the historical buildings in the castle; the materials, the smooth stone, bricks and tiles add to the atmosphere. Nevertheless the method of their usage, the simple masses, the unsophisticated geometrical forms, and the lack of traditional motives show an inclination towards the contemporary minimalist architecture. The harmony of the frontage is diversified by the windows appearing in groups, forming individual sequences. The slightly arching gateway is a trademark of Reimholz, which also appears on the Hapimag-house built in the Castle. Currently, the building serves as professors' guesthouse of CE.
8
Hapimag-house
Hapimag-house
8
Architect Reimholz Péter
Company W6 Studió Kft
Built in 2000
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The reconstruction and replacement of the Castle's civilian houses after the second world war gave jobs to Hungarian architects for decades, and in many cases led to exciting, excellent results. One of the biggest success among the public was gained by the apartment building built on the empty lot of Bécsikapu tér by commission of the Switzerland based Hapimag. The architect made use of the medieval wall remnants, and based on them the house grew almost organically. The increased need to reflect on neighbouring buildings is quite visible: the articulated pitched-roofed facade of Fortuna utca rhymes with houses further along the street, while the negative corner reacts to the corner balcony of the copf house on the other side of the street. The fine, evidently well thought-out details give a historic feeling to the fairly young building. The Hapimag-house is perhaps the best example of the mentality which imagines that the optimal fitting into a historical context can be achieved with the use of natural materials (brick, stone, wood, tiles), and with respectful, yet contemporary forms.
9
Old Town Hall of Buda, monument preservation reconstruction
Old Town Hall of Buda, monument preservation reconstruction
9
Architect Szabó Levente
Company Hetedik Műterem Kft.
Built in 2018
Photo Danyi Balázs
More info
10
Krisztina Palace
Krisztina Palace
5
Architect Ekler Dezső, Dominique Perrault
Company Ekler Építész Kft., Dominique Perrault Architecte
Built in 2009
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The inner design of this large building is the work of Dezső Ekler, while the plans of the facades were made in the studio of frenchman Domininque Perrault. The design of the latter was no doubt the greatest challenge, as the 18 thousand square meter-office block, which surely stops a gap with its size in the area, runs four parcels down the even-numbered side of Nagyenyed street, forming most of its frontage. Compared to the early designs, the completed facade is much more serried but still, the full-height windows mounted like variedly turning blinds keep the formation of the facade lightsome and exciting. The two slightly slanted rows of turned-in windows trisect the facade, and their wavering allocation gives the impression of movement while passing by the house. The chicle-coloured frontage is not garish, it blends in with the dim colours of the surrounding elderly buildings.
11
Lutheran Church Center in the Kékgolyó Street
Lutheran Church Center in the Kékgolyó Street
6
Architect Id. Benczúr László
Company BENCZÚR & PARTNER Építész Kft.
Built in 2001
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The Kékgolyó street villa and the neighboring parcel were donated to the evangelist church by the state in 1994 as part of the compensation program. Design work on the new local parish center had started right away, but the final church building was erected by 2001 after several versions. The main challenges were renovating the listed villa building, adapting the style to the neighboring buildings and satisfying the demands of the congregation, such as the creation of a separate congregational hall, of youth activity rooms and, naturally, of a bell tower. The new parts to the building are stacked behind the villa on the street front, with the modest nef in the back with a protruding campanile. The church reflects the simplicity of the Romanesque cathedrals of Northern Italy, while the building wings leading to the villa attempt to dissolve the contradiction between the two styles with contemporary elements.
12
Office building on Városmajor utca
Office building on Városmajor utca
6
Architect Lukács István, Vikár András
Company Vikár és Lukács Építészstúdió Kft.
Built in 1995
Photo Lukács és Vikár Építészstúdió Kft.
More info
13
Fény utca Market Hall
Fény utca Market Hall
6
Architect Cságoly Ferenc, Hőnich Richárd, Bozó András
Company Építész Stúdió Kft.
Built in 1998
Photo Häider Andrea, Szathmári Zoltán
More info
14
Millenáris Park (former Ganz Factory)
Millenáris Park (former Ganz Factory)
10
Architect Benczúr László, Bozsó Annamária, Takács Ákos, Wéber József
Company CÉH Zrt.
Built in 2001
More info
1
Hotel Lánchíd 19 Design
5
Architect Sugár Péter, Ifj. Benczúr László
Company Radius B+S Kft.
Built in 2007
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The only empty plot of the row of houses along the Danube under the Buda Castle was lot number 19, previously place to common stables. The Sugár-Benczúr duo, architects of the winning entry, had to design a 4-star hotel. The dimensions of the building align with its neighbours; the interiour layout has three parts: a part of the 47 rooms faces the Castle, the rest face the Danube, while variously places bridges provide the connection in the covered atrium of the interiour. The medieval water system of the Castle was found during construction, which can be visited today as well. The glass curtain wall facing the river is interactive: the constantly moving and changing planes "reflect" the flow of the water. The movement of the elements is influenced by the surface of the river, the changing of the weather and can also be affected by the resident of the hotel room. The extraordinary sight is even better in the dark due to the lighting. The technical and design details of the curtain wall was done by Szövetség 39 in cooperation with the architects. The building won several prices thanks to the special facade.
2
Pala house
7
Architect Csomay Zsófia
Company CET Budapest Kft.
Built in 2005
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The main transport route in the Víziváros district under the Vár (Buda Castle) is Fő (Main) street. One of its latest buildings, the Industrialexport office building, built in 1984, designed by Zsófia Csomay and Gábor Gereben, became well-known in the whole country in the eighties: it appeared as a police station in the series „Linda”, the story of the young karate-fighter officer girl. Two decades after it was built up, one of the original designers had the opportunity to alter the house. The glazed surfaces on the frontage were replaced by limestone and brickwork, which are typical materials in the contemporary architecture of the Vár and its environs (partly due to the work of Csomay and her husband, Péter Reimholz). The somewhat exaggerated size of the seven-story office is fitted to the scale of its surroundings by the adjoint smaller building, which is covered in clinker. This adaptation can be witnessed especially on the Kapucinus street side, which is parallel to the Fő street. The covered patio houses the medieval ruins uncovered in 1977 at the demolition of the baroque buildings originally standing on the site, however, in this matter the principal’s will was different from the designer's intentions.
3
French Institute
6
Architect Georges Maurios
Built in 1992
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The lot of Fő utca 17., property of the French Republic, stayed empty for a long time after the second world war. For a while the lot was used as a tennis court, or ice rink in the winter, providing sport activities for the French embassy. It was decided in the early 1980s that the riverside lot will give space for the new French Institute, for which an international design competition was announced. Finally constructions began in 1989 on the only Hungarian building of George Maurios, the biggest French Institute of Central-Europe. The building was inaugurated in 1992 in stark contrast with its environment due to its sharp protrusions and modern forms. Since its opening the French Institute provides space to learn the French language and to get to know the French culture.
4
Geometria (=Geometry) Business Center
6
Architect Csillag Katalin, Gunther Zsolt
Company 3h építésziroda
Built in 2016
Photo Bujnovszky Tamás
More info
5
Csík Ferenc Elementary and High School
6
Architect Sólyom Benedek, Cságoly Ferenc
Company Építész Stúdió Kft.
Built in 2003
Photo Polgár Attila
More info
6
Gym of Toldy Ferenc High School
5
Architect Földes László, Mórocz Tamás, Pethő Tamás
Company Földes és Társai Építésziroda Kft.
Built in 2004
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
This building, which gave place to one of the first secondary schools of Buda, was built up by 1859 according to the plans of János Petschnig (Johann Nepomuk Petschnig) from Graz. The neogothic building did not contain a gymnasium, so a part of the ground floor had been used for that purpose until the begining of the 21th century. The new, 1350 square meter-block was placed on the next ground-plot which opens to the lower-laying Donáti street because of the significant altitude difference. The mass of the gymnasium hall lies underground, with gardens on the roof and glass skylights providing natural lighting. In the new block, which stands in the building line of the street, are placed the dressing rooms, offices, and the medical room; the two-storied atrium connecting the two blocks functions as a grandstand as well. The brick walls inside and outside adapt to the scale, apperance and materials of the main building and the surrounding historical buildings; the ceilings were made of fair-faced concrete, the simply lined doors and windows of self-coloured wood. On the entrance door from Donáti street, a copy of the legendary lion-shaped door handle of the main building has been placed.
7
Collegium Budapest Raoul Wallenberg Guesthouse
7
Architect Reimholz Péter, Csomay Zsófia
Company CET Budapest Kft.
Built in 2000
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The Collegium Budapest was established for Phd and postgradual students in 1991 as the first of the Institutes for Advanced Study in Middle-Europe, functioning until 2011. The school resided in the building of the former city hall of Buda, opposite of Mátyás church, while the guesthouse, finished in October 2000, stands by the stairs named Szeder leading from the church to the Víziváros down by the bank of the Danube. Because of the great difference in the altitude, the building divides into two blocks. The upper one on the Szabó Ilona street has only three stories, fitting itself to its neighbours, though looking from below, it seems to tower high above the five-storied lower section. The two kinds of covering reflect on the facades of the historical buildings in the castle; the materials, the smooth stone, bricks and tiles add to the atmosphere. Nevertheless the method of their usage, the simple masses, the unsophisticated geometrical forms, and the lack of traditional motives show an inclination towards the contemporary minimalist architecture. The harmony of the frontage is diversified by the windows appearing in groups, forming individual sequences. The slightly arching gateway is a trademark of Reimholz, which also appears on the Hapimag-house built in the Castle. Currently, the building serves as professors' guesthouse of CE.
8
Hapimag-house
8
Architect Reimholz Péter
Company W6 Studió Kft
Built in 2000
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The reconstruction and replacement of the Castle's civilian houses after the second world war gave jobs to Hungarian architects for decades, and in many cases led to exciting, excellent results. One of the biggest success among the public was gained by the apartment building built on the empty lot of Bécsikapu tér by commission of the Switzerland based Hapimag. The architect made use of the medieval wall remnants, and based on them the house grew almost organically. The increased need to reflect on neighbouring buildings is quite visible: the articulated pitched-roofed facade of Fortuna utca rhymes with houses further along the street, while the negative corner reacts to the corner balcony of the copf house on the other side of the street. The fine, evidently well thought-out details give a historic feeling to the fairly young building. The Hapimag-house is perhaps the best example of the mentality which imagines that the optimal fitting into a historical context can be achieved with the use of natural materials (brick, stone, wood, tiles), and with respectful, yet contemporary forms.
9
Old Town Hall of Buda, monument preservation reconstruction
9
Architect Szabó Levente
Company Hetedik Műterem Kft.
Built in 2018
Photo Danyi Balázs
More info
10
Krisztina Palace
5
Architect Ekler Dezső, Dominique Perrault
Company Ekler Építész Kft., Dominique Perrault Architecte
Built in 2009
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The inner design of this large building is the work of Dezső Ekler, while the plans of the facades were made in the studio of frenchman Domininque Perrault. The design of the latter was no doubt the greatest challenge, as the 18 thousand square meter-office block, which surely stops a gap with its size in the area, runs four parcels down the even-numbered side of Nagyenyed street, forming most of its frontage. Compared to the early designs, the completed facade is much more serried but still, the full-height windows mounted like variedly turning blinds keep the formation of the facade lightsome and exciting. The two slightly slanted rows of turned-in windows trisect the facade, and their wavering allocation gives the impression of movement while passing by the house. The chicle-coloured frontage is not garish, it blends in with the dim colours of the surrounding elderly buildings.
11
Lutheran Church Center in the Kékgolyó Street
6
Architect Id. Benczúr László
Company BENCZÚR & PARTNER Építész Kft.
Built in 2001
Photo Gyulai Szilvia / KÉK
The Kékgolyó street villa and the neighboring parcel were donated to the evangelist church by the state in 1994 as part of the compensation program. Design work on the new local parish center had started right away, but the final church building was erected by 2001 after several versions. The main challenges were renovating the listed villa building, adapting the style to the neighboring buildings and satisfying the demands of the congregation, such as the creation of a separate congregational hall, of youth activity rooms and, naturally, of a bell tower. The new parts to the building are stacked behind the villa on the street front, with the modest nef in the back with a protruding campanile. The church reflects the simplicity of the Romanesque cathedrals of Northern Italy, while the building wings leading to the villa attempt to dissolve the contradiction between the two styles with contemporary elements.
12
Office building on Városmajor utca
6
Architect Lukács István, Vikár András
Company Vikár és Lukács Építészstúdió Kft.
Built in 1995
Photo Lukács és Vikár Építészstúdió Kft.
More info
13
Fény utca Market Hall
6
Architect Cságoly Ferenc, Hőnich Richárd, Bozó András
Company Építész Stúdió Kft.
Built in 1998
Photo Häider Andrea, Szathmári Zoltán
More info
14
Millenáris Park (former Ganz Factory)
10
Architect Benczúr László, Bozsó Annamária, Takács Ákos, Wéber József
Company CÉH Zrt.
Built in 2001
More info
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