Portus Home 2, community office and accommodation, Vászoly

Architect: Barna Kovács D.
Text: Domonkos Wettstein
Photos: Tamás Bata

The Balaton highlands are undergoing a dynamic transformation, the urbanization of the landscape poses new challenges to the region’s architecture. Different ways of life and identities are now mixed in the settlements that once followed a rural lifestyle, more and more people are moving to the settlements, while the number of people who periodically commute between the city and their “second home” and the number of tourists is also increasing. The transforming patterns of landscape use require the development of new architectural strategies. Architect D. Barna Kovács had already been involved in regional experimentation. The “coworking and coliving” community space of Portus Home 2 in Vászoly was created from the building of a former cowshed. The transformation of the agricultural building vividly shows the processes taking place in the region’s landscape use. Alternative workspaces have typically developed in densely populated downtowns, in the vicinity of busy junctions, ensuring good accessibility. On the other hand, in Vászoly, which has only two hundred people, the community workspace can offer an alternative with the picturesqueness of the landscape, the proximity of nature and the possibility of retreat. That’s why in Vászoly, “coworking” is complemented by the concept of “coliving”, which not only provides new opportunities for working hours, but also for a temporary way of life, as the workspace is supplemented with different types of accommodation.

Architecture, interiors: Barna Kovács D. – Barna Architects
Structure: Tamás Balogh