Szeleta Park Visitor Center, Miskolc

Architect: Zsolt Vasáros
Text: Kristóf Mánya
Photos: Bálint Jaksa

The unusual circular shape of the Visitor Center attracts attention in itself, but does so in such a way that is not at all intrusive. It marks and imbues with meaning a rather peripheral location that today typically has little value. It can also be considered a source stone, because although it clearly has a contemporary architectural character with a façade suggesting timelessness. The facade painting, which mimics the layers of soil pressed on top of each other, connects the building to the earth by being based on the soil types that are actually present at the site and data obtained directly from the park area, while also elevating it to a less definable and less directly experienceable geological era. It seems as if the architecture here were created not by addition but by the act of dismantling, and the city of Miskolc developed from this very found, excavated “primordial experience” and the additions built on it, moving and expanding eastward. On the cylindrical body built on a regular circular horizontal plan, prominent positions were marked with cut-outs or additions for functional use. The resulting overall image is a disciplined, strictly organised composition, which, however, also suggests some extent of randomness in its details, analogous to the birth of a stalactite cave, where the principle of formation is similar to itself, yet creates unique shapes. Within the encompassing circular shape, bodies (mostly) tilted out of the implied basic grid are located, which house the offices of the park’s operators, the visitor center’s screening room and the playhouse reserved for children. The remaining zigzag zone contains an exhibition space.

General planning: Narmer Architect Studio
Lead architects: Zsolt Vasáros DLA
Lead interior architect: Sarolta Bihary
Architects, interior architect, exhibition installation: Emőke Bandur-Juhász, Dóra Dávid, Katalin Hauszknecht, Zsófia Koronczai, Petra Kováts, Klára Lovas, Zsolt Megyesi, Mester de Parajd Árpád, Gábor Nagy, Áron Sasvári, Anikó Somlai, Gergely Sági, Anna Szabó, András Gáll, Melinda Vasáros-Lévai, Ákos Vasáros, Lilla Vincze, Eszter Illés, Gergő Bagi, Imre Bóka, Zsófia Pittmann
Structure: Eferte Ltd., Olivér Kovács, János  Szendefy
HVAC: Agorex Ltd., Zoltán Kalmár, Csaba Makáry, Tamás Mottl
Electrical engineering: András Peták 
Garden, landscape: Krisztina Müller 
Playground, playhouse: Attila Vincze
Kitchen technology: Piroska Kaszab 
Fire protection: Orsolya Brindzik 
Public utilities: Attila Bíró 
Noise and vibrancy protection: László Borbás
Accessibility: Anna Kormányos 
Geotechnology: Margit Dienesné Bányász, Endre Dienes, Péter Kiss
Security technology, work safety: Gábor Köbl
BIM expert: Balázs Szilágyi 
Co-ordinator of the exhibition: Tibor Bíró 
Curators of the exhibition: Kálmánné Rónai, Csaba Baráz, Sarolta Borzsák, Csaba Egri, Zsolt Mester, Klára Pusztainé Fischer, Tibor Bíró, György Dudás, Sándor Holló, Mihály Gasparik, Zsolt Vasáros
Client: Bükki Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság, director Kálmánné Rónai 
Competition co-ordination: Gabriella Bernáthné Szabó, Ádám Magyar
Main contractor: FK-Raszter Építő