A Mansion in Balatonfüred

Architects: Péter Basa†, Gergely Fernezelyi
Text: Bálint Botzheim
Photos: Tamás Bujnovszky

This mansion in Balatonfüred may as well be regarded as an exemplary design truly reflecting the approach of an architect ambitioning to deal with traditions. Deeply cut into the original steep line of the terrain, the site for the building also permitted to have a two-storey elevation facing south. A composition reflecting the understanding of both the modern and the traditional is added to this spectacle: the thatched roof seems to be floating above a somewhat lean prism. Actually, the perspective facilitates the magic here. Viewed from the bottom-end of the site the top-floor vanishes in the transparency of the receded glass partition and we only realise it is a two-storey house when starting to walk upward. Cut into the slope, the lower level also houses the rooms for wine processing and wine-making. Walking up the stairs along the side of the building we arrive at the residential level which counteracts the closed and cold domain of the cellar. The living space and the kitchen are tuned to the views from the house and thus function as an unbroken flowing space. Because of the huge continuous expanse of the roof the bedrooms expose their introvert character much in the same way as the cellar does. However, these rooms are warmed and protected by the thatched roof sheltering them.

Architects: Péter Basa†, Gergely Fernezelyi
Structure: István Kerek, Tamás Pintér
HVAC: Zsolt Detre
Interior design: Éva Bátonyi – VISUall kft.
Electrical engineering: János Petkovics – Sollenau Kft.
Landscape, garden design: Nóra Geiger – Pannonexpert Kft
Main contractor: Károly Varró – Agilis Kft.