Index – Culture – Architects once again fight the demolition of an iconic modern house

The Budavár National Electric Charge Distribution building in the Castle District, right next to the Palace of the National Archives, is typically the modern building that architects consider a brilliant and iconic work of art, and the layman an ugliness that is not It fits in with the historical setting at all. There are more lay people in the government because they want to demolish the building again, and even the work has started.

We reported on the case of the house as early as 2016, when the idea of ​​demolition came up. It is worth briefly knowing about the building that its designer was Csaba Virág, one of the most important Hungarian architects of the second half of the 20th century, and it was built on the site of the municipalities devastated by the war between 1974 and 1979, but based in the 1972 plans. In the Castle District, both the industrial function and the characteristically modern appearance of the building were exceptional. Previous castle prosthetic installations were becoming more organic, although the cargo dealer also took their environment into account in terms of weight and scale, but the reflective glass facades, the rough concrete cylindrical tower and the side wall of Rough concrete and the entrance corridor were undoubtedly very different from what was in the castle. .

This trend of modernism in the 1970s is commonly called brutalism in the world, and that name is quite revealing. Brutalist houses, on the other hand, tend to age quite poorly and are quite unpopular, but even this era of style has created values ​​for this, and

The fate of the building has not been resolved since 2007, when it lost its original function, has been empty since then and has deteriorated. Due to the burned protective film on the glass facades and the general deterioration, it became increasingly difficult to see how beautiful it was. It became state property in 2015 and in 2016 the decision was made to demolish it. However, the Hungarian Association of Architects (MÉSZ) and the Hungarian National Committee of ICOMOS protested against the demolition, and the government also seemed to see that it was better to preserve the building: some departments of the Ministry of the Interior were scheduled to move to the Castle after of a complete renovation. converted into office building.

Then it turned out that this would not be the case. Last year, interior work began and the house was completely gutted, citing the obviously necessary asbestos removal, despite there being quality parts inside, such as the wood-paneled meeting room. And this spring, they also scaffold from the outside and start pulling out the windows. It was then that the Forum of Architects asked him what was happening with the house, and the response from the Interior Ministry revealed that his fate had been sealed, only that the public had not been notified:

In response to your email, we would like to inform you that on October 24, 2018, the Government decided to demolish the building. In making its decision, it took into account, among other things, the state of the building’s steel and reinforced concrete structure, the renovation of which would have been an unacceptable cost. Also considering that due to the building’s special original function, which could not be converted to another task until 2007, there was no alternative to the decision, the demolition was also prompted by a previous public initiative. The building must be replaced by a new building that adjusts to the historical environment.

The demolition plan still caused the same outrage among architects as it did four years ago, and the Association of Hungarian Architects launched a petition to save the house.

The Budavár National Electric Charge Distributor is also an innovative and avant-garde building in scale and mass, which is certainly in line with the historical atmosphere of the Castle. One of the most important “witness buildings” of the time: its creation was a defining moment in the history of Hungarian architecture after the war. We are convinced that it is necessary to maintain it; reviving and renewing it with a new function is mandatory according to today’s technical requirements. Its architectural quality and uniqueness are expected to be understood by many people in its new image.

They argue. The professional organization complains that the government has overwritten the previous agreement without any dialogue or consultation, arguing that the sturdy five-story structures of the large house, the convenient size, and the generous supply of space make it suitable for a new role. . We could also create valuable new features at the cost of less demolition debris and a smaller ecological footprint. “

The debate over the building’s fate not only sheds light on the difference between public taste and professional canon in judging architectural values, but also shows that the architecture of the second half of the 20th century remains highly divisive: architectural significance. of this house and due to its architectural qualities, it could even be a monument, but most would be incomprehensible before being declared protected.