Budapest Architect: Building of the Month - Overview

Topics: Introduction * Building of the Month [2010] * Building of the Month [2011] * Building of the Month [2012]

Introduction

In this part of the website Budapest Architect, Julius places monthly, by a photo gallery and more or less text, a special building in Budapest in the spotlight. If after publication, new information or additional images come available, a page will be updated.

Building of the Month [2010]

October: Fasori református templom
November: Fővárosi Vakok Intézete
December: Szent László Gimnázium

October 2010 - Fasori református templom

This church, that belongs to a reformed congregation, kicks off what should become a very long series about special buildings in Budapest.

A very beautiful church, both in appearance as interior and designed in the period 1911-1913 by the architect Aladár Árkay (1868-1932). The church is still in use for services and the community has about 900 active members.

The design of the church, both internally and externally, has Art Nouveau elements, but is also inspired by the Finnish architecture and the traditional architecture as can be found in Transylvania. Nowadays the interior is still intact and is of great beauty and very, very special.

November 2010 - Fővárosi Vakok Intézete

The Fővárosi Vakok Intézet (either the former Jewish Blind Institute) is a building designed by the architect Béla Lajta (1873-1920). Art Nouveau influences, but really ahead of its time and built between 1905 and 1908.

It is a robust building which mainly in the details shows the playfulness and creativity of the architect. The Jewish influences are still visible, although the former synagogue already almost 70 years not as such is recognizable. The fence around the building is a beauty and full of surprises.

A building in a neighborhood that a tourist not shall visit as quickly as there are few "normal" tourist attractions to be found and it is located outside the city center. However, a very interesting building, both inside and outside, although you should have luck to view the building at the inside.

December 2010 - Szent László Gimnázium

One of the last buildings that the founder of the Art Nouveau in Budapest, Ödön Lechner (1846-1914) together with József Vágó has designed. The building  was completed in 1915, short after the death of Ödön Lechner.

A majestic building with late Art Nouveau influences, but also a return to neo-styles. Although damaged during the war years, this school is restored its former glory and is now an official monument. The many decorations used in the building refer to the Hungarian version of Art Nouveau from whom Ödön Lechner is regarded as the founder.

Building of the Month [2011]

January: OTI székháza / Budapesti Kerületi Munkásbiztosító székháza
February: Krisztus Király-Templom
March: Palatinus-házak
April: Schiffer-villa
May: Piatschek-ház
June: Napóleon-Udvar
July: V. Falk Miksa utca 13
August: VIII. Baross utca 74
September: Walkó-ház
October: VI. Bajscy-Zsilinszky út 63
November: Széchenyi István Kereskedelmi Szakközépiskola
December: I. Szilágyi Dezsö tér 3

January 2011 - OTI székháza

A monumental office building near Keleti pályaudvar (train station). A building that was built in two periods but looks as an unity. The design of the first part (left side) is by the architects Marcell Komor (1868-1944) and Dezsö Jakab (1864-1932).


The construction of the right side in the period 1929-1931 consisted till 1969, of a 75 meters high tower that was regarded as a skyscraper. Only the lower part of the tower remained.Special attention deserves the series of 24 beautiful reliëfs on the facade, which, inter alia, were made by the sculptor Gyula Maugsch. These images both warn for hazards that may occur in  unsafe work as show crafts. Julius shows 6 of these reliëfs.

February 2011 - Krisztus Király-Templom

This is one of the beautiful churches that Aladár Árkay has designed. In October 2010 another church designed by him was put in the spotlight.

The Catholic church was built between 1924-1926 on the Buda side of Budapest. From the outside a church which looks fairly robust, with particular playfulness in the details at the entrance of building.

From the inside ... very very colorful and a ceiling in the ship with Wiener Werkstatte and Art Deco influences, a beautiful mosaic, and many other decorations. If you have a chance to look inside the church: do! The chimes of 1938, that only at certain times can be heared and viewed also is very special!

March 2011 - Palatinus-házak

The group of townhouses that arose on the Poszonui út in 1911 marked the beginning of this street. This part of the XIII. district was rapidly being developed.

Emil Vidor, architect of Jewish descent was responsible for this very special building, full of surprising details, especially on the inside. The exterior has suffered greatly by World War II.

April 2011 - Schiffer-villa

The Schiffer-villa, built between 1910 and 1912 was designed by Jewish architect József Vágó. The villa was built for the wealthy entrepreneur Miksa Schiffer.

The building was during the years thoroughly rebuilt from the outside and has little left of its original beauty. Internally many original features are to be found, which partly were restored in its former glory. Among this, a beautiful stained-glass window designed by Karoly Kernstock and beautiful tiles.
 

May 2011 - Piatschek-ház

The Piatschek-ház is the first building that the brothers Bela and Sándor Löffler designed in Budapest. This was the begin of a period of nine years in which they have designed at least 17 buildings.

An interesting building with a for the brothers really quite simple facade. Striking is the beautiful door and internal the stairwell still includes many original details. The railings of the staircase is one of the more beautiful in Budapest. The building is also notable for the very shallow depth and a very, very small courtyard.

June 2011 - Napóleon-Udvar

The Napóleon-Udvar is a beautiful Art Nouveau building dating from 1905-1906 and built by the Jewish architect Gyula Fodor. The appartment building is located just behind the Opera.

As far as Julius know, it is the first building designed in Budapest by Gyula Fodor. The facade is still a bit sober, but the entrance door and the interior are already in the "Fodor" style, in which he often collaborated with the same artists such as Miksa Róth for the stained-glass windows.

A beautiful building that in terms of the facade already for years is awaiting on restoration, especially the roof is in a bad condition.

July 2011 - V. Falk Miksa utca 13

The building of the Month July 2011 mainly jumps out by the beautiful entrance: door,door frame and stained-glass windows. But also into the building was eye for beautiful details.

This is a known fact for the buildings of the architect Gyula Fodor and, after the June episode  in which the Napóleon-Udvar was shown in words and pictures, this is the second building of this architect which is put in the spotlight. And...it certainly will not be the last one!

August 2011 - VIII. Baross utca 74

An interesting building, the building of the Month August. Not directly a strikingly decorated facade, but striking due to the non symmetric facade.

The most remarkable parts are the stained-glass windows in the semicircular stairwell and especially the pictures of animal figures which also returns in the lamp in the hall. For the rest it is a rather austere building. The architect, Flóris Korb, was co-responsible for the design of the Zeneakadémia (Liszt Ferenc concert hall and conservatory)

September 2011 - Walkó-ház

A very early Art Nouveau building from 1901 designed by the architect A. Kálmán Körössy.

Currently, an apartment building, but originally as am 8-room house built for the minister Walkó and his family. A building that follows more the Western form of Art Nouveau. Both inside and outside restored and the facade contains one of the most beautiful tile panels from the city, designed by Géza Maróti.  Beside of it are the many images of animals on the facade very special. Also inside Art Nouveau influences can be seen, with as highlight the strut in the hall / stairwell.

October 2011 - VI. Bajscy-Zsilinszky út 63

The building of the Month in October 2011 is characterized by a relatively great unfamiliarity. Largely due to its location: a busy way that runs up, deprives the view on the front of this building.

Yet this building is one of the, if not the earliest Art Nouveau building in Budapest that dates from 1897. In terms of style of the facade decoration it's a modern building, and with the Viennese / Western form of Art Nouveau. The architects of this building: Frigyes Spiegel and Fülöp Weinréb. Around the same years this duo definitely has designed 15 early Art Nouveau buildings in Budapest.

November 2011 - Széchenyi István Kereskedelmi Szakközépiskola

The Building of the Month November 2011 is a building that's so worthwhile that it if you would get the opportunity to see it at the inside you immediatly should book a flightto Budapest..

Built in the period 1910-1913 to the plans of the architect Béla Lajta (1873-1920). This business school is already at the outside a monumental building, but at the inside a building that unreserved can be defined as "very valuable". It still has many original details such as murals, lamps and furniture. All designed by the architect himself and with undeniable influences of the Wiener Werkstätte. It's one of the architectural highlights in Budapest.

December 2011 - I. Szilágyi Dezsö tér 3

In the series "Building of the Month" again a building that barely or not is described in books but inextricably is linked with the earliest history of buildings in Budapest with Art Nouveau ornamentations both on the facade and in the building. A building that in its style strongly refers to the buildings designed by the architects Frigyes Spiegel and Fülöp Weibreb.

Designed by an architect who, especially later in his career, was responsible for the design of many Lutheran churches and also the architect of the building that anyone will notice when he or she visits Metro 2 station Széll Kálmán tér: the former post office which was built between 1923 and 1925 and that stands as a classic fortress on the hill. The architect: Gyula Sándy.

Building of the Month [2012]

January: The Gutenberg-Otthon
February: V. Kristof tér 5 (coming soon)

January 2012 - The Gutenberg-Otthon

The first episode in 2012 of the series "Building of the Month" concerns the Gutenberg-Otthon, a building that is well documented and in the past years more and more is restored to its former glory. Built in 1906/1907 and once the property of the Hungarian book printers and typefounders organization.

A very impressive building designed by the brothers József and László Vágó. Characteristical for the majority of their designs is that both outside and inside the building is a "gesammt-kunstwerk". Very beautiful ornamentations which partial returning in other Vágó buildings. Beside the brothers used for this building snowdrops as a theme for the ornamentation. These are used in the walls and floor of the entrance hall, the railing of the stairwell and in the stained-glass windows.

(Last  modification: October 12, 2012)