KONKRÉT STUDIO

Mindszentyneum, Zalaegerszeg

In Greek mythology, death is equal to forgetting. Art tries to counter this assumption by preserving the actions of exceptional individuals and heroes through various means. And thus a memorial and pilgrimage site celebrating the legendary Cardinal József Mindszenty was opened in the town of Zalaegerszeg. The “Mindszentyneum” is next to the renovated Göcseji Museum and organically fits into the city’s cultural space. The logic behind the current building’s façade follows the logic of historical architectural traditions by exploiting the potential of modern materials – in this case, specially coated aluminum. Inside, the layout of the Mindszentyneum recalls a monastery: the enclosed sacred space offers the opportunity to delve into oneself, symbolically underlined by a tree planted in the small courtyard. A monastery layout is also evoked by the closeness, intimacy, and equality of community life.

Sarakele

Cotangens Outdoor Furniture

Designer Sara Kele presented Cotangens, her “post-Covid” collection of outdoor furniture, at this year’s Design Week in Milan. Its modern graphic character is formed by elegant and unobtrusive geometric shapes combined with the shadows they cast. The exciting transparent design recedes into the background and makes way for the beauty of nature, allowing the furniture to fit into any space without spoiling its ambiance. An earthy color palette and structured fabric also suit the individual pieces.

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Studio Arkitekter

Poke Bowl Bistro, Budapest interior

Architect Viktor Czap established his studio only recently, but he’s on fire. He’s designed the interiors of SmartApart and Neptun hotels, Veritas wine bar, and the Michelin-starred 42restaurant & bar in Esztergom. Although his style is immediately recognizable, in every design he can adapt to the client’s needs. While the luxury restaurant is like something out of The Great Gatsby, the poke bistro in downtown Budapest plays with large blocks of color and the reflection of the small space in the huge mirror-finish bar.

The objects Gabor Gobi creates are part of a natural cycle inspired by upcycling, hygge, wabisabi, slow living, and the like. In his interpretation nothing disappears, but various forces create new things from the old. His Torch table lamp is part of his larger Erosion collection: used materials are reused, repurposed, salvaged from scrapyards, collected from the streets and demolition sites.

“Creating new objects from these materials are the real challenge and joy. Exploring the possibilities and limits of repurposed materials is a way forward for a sustainable life,” Gobi explains.

BALÁZS MIHÁLY / STUDIO DMB

In their Greek Catholic Museum, architect Balázs Mihály and studio dmb designed a museum with a distinct eye for architecture. Nor is the exhibition space white box; it is dimly lit by natural light that penetrates through nine niches regularly spaced on the front façade. The rich interior of the religious history museum suits the exhibited artefacts very well.

Studio Fragment

Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest

The new annex to the Hultl House fills a nearly 120-year-old empty lot with masterful ease. It finishes the missing corners of the building complex and encloses the courtyard with a uniform square wall, forming its new utilitarian and aesthetic quality. The institution is also a passageway, facilitating its use and reinforcing the identity of the place. Despite the dense surrounding infrastructure, there is a cheerful atmosphere of surprisingly bright and spacious rooms inside, which is enhanced by the use of neutral natural materials on the outside walls. The fine concrete and perforated metal surfaces with a sense of refined unadorned durability on the outside, combined with a polished terrazzo, exposed concrete, wood coverings, and beautifully finished furniture with original color frames on the inside, complete the harmonious image of a new alternative institution tailored to the university community.