”Reuse what you can, do not cover or paint anything just to look nice!”
Over the past few years Bánáti + Hartvig Architecture Office has been increasing constantly, and grew out its office in Vaskapu Street. A new office building became necessary, which was designed by BH architects for themselves. This was a great challenge, because being their own client, the oportunity was given to create a building which shows the architectural approach that they consider entirely as their own. This way the site was prepared beyond the least environmental impact possible, following the guidelines of architectural cycle.
It was clear for the architects not to load the environment even more by constructing a new building; they wanted to reuse an existing, old building. They have been searching for a long time, and have been visiting several buildings, until they found their new home: the characteristic building under the address 38 Fehérvári Street seemed to be adequate from every aspect.
Previously, the building served for the Alba Regia restaurant, which was a beloved place by many people. The restaurant was established in the 1960s in order to serve as infrastructure of the housing estate nearby. Over the years the restaurant and the building itself changed a lot. Although by now Alba Regia is only a small part of the building, the residents of the 11th district still like it. Several commercial units followed each other in the other parts of the flat-roofed building, until the purchase of BH in 2019. At the moment of the sale-purchase the building was out of use and needed significant renovation. With the renovation not only was the building saved, but the quality of its built environment also increased.
In order to create a workplace which considers the needs of the employees, the leaders of BH decided to involve the employees of the office into the design process and announced a design competition therefore among them. Seven competition plans arrived for the call, of which the winning plan was created by Vera Lőcsei.
The guidelines of architectural cycle played a great role during the works. Meaning, several demolished building materials were integrated again into the building – even as a different function. This way less new building material was necessary. The external doors and windows didn’t fulfill the requirements of energy efficient insulation, therefore they needed to be changed. However, the glazed portals made of steel structure were in good condition, therefore they were reused as dividing walls at the meeting rooms in the basement. Same happened to the glass bricks which were taken out from the walls of the upper floor, they also serve as dividing walls of the meeting rooms. As a result of several professional consultations, some old radiators could be saved as well, this way these can operate again in the cold months.
In some cases these decisions weren’t based on aesthetical aspects. This way for example the steel structure dividing elements of the meeting room walls ”stumble” at several points, and the preserved and the new radiators also don’t show a coherent picture. On long term the designers believe this approach more rewarding, they believe it is important not to buy new things if something can be reused.
Based on the aspects of cyclical architecture and being environmentally friendly, the designers took a decision – which might be unusual still these days – not to cover nor to paint anything only because of aesthetics. This way the surfaces revealed during the demolition remained as they were, untreated: the concrete beams weren’t covered and the raw brick walls weren’t painted. This gesture, besides of protecting the environment lets us have a look into the building’s history. We can see the changes of the past 60 years, the work of precise and unprecise hands.
The newly built-in elements also appear with their original form, this way the acoustic panels of the ceiling and also mechanics weren’t covered with finish. Only those surfaces were covered, where it was architecturally necessary in any case, for example water insulation was made on the basement walls. The new building materials built in precisely and the original elements of raw honesty create a new, coherent aesthetic together.
The building is suitable to give insight into environmentally friendly, and cycle-based architecture. It is a permanent process to get to know profoundly these directions and architectural characteristics, because with time new and even newer aspects and technologies appear, which require significant effort to get to know them. The colleagues of BH can tell about themselves that they started a constant learning process. During the design and the execution of their office they enriched with several experiences, which they hand over and present gladly – through the office building itself. They encourage their Clients to use the opportunity to receive the result of this learning process.
