Pesterzsébet Open-air Baths

Építészek: Csaba Nagy, Károly Pólus, Bence László Dobos, Zsolt Nagy
Szöveg: Zoltán Dragon
Fotók: József Hajdú

The baths complex was founded in Pesterzsébet in 1924, almost at the peak season of such facilities in Budapest. The model, which it was designed after, as well as a point of reference for it was the waterfront Gänsehäufel swimming-pool in Vienna on the bank of the Danube opened in 1907. After the break because of the war the targeted audience changed: the primary interest after 1945 was to entertain workers and employees. The decades to come saw a growing popularity of the baths owing to its thermal waters with rare iodide and bromidione contents, as well as to the fusion of the functions of wellness and medical baths. In 2001 the open-air bath was closed, followed by the closure of the indoor baths in 2005. The reconstruction completed now is permeated by respect: designers preserved the palette of the original tiles, the typography referring to the ceramic letters on the facade, integrated the quasi-Turkish bath building built in the 1950s into the extended complex. Pavements and the facework of the pools have been replaced with granite, spaces and spatial relations have been reorganized in the spirit of pure logic. Spaces and functions were daringly paired with present-day requirements of uses by creating zones and rooms for relaxation, tranquility and silence.

General design: Archikon Kft.
Architecture, interiors: Csaba Nagy, Károly Pólus, Bence László Dobos, Zsolt Nagy
Fellow architects: Ágnes Tőrös, Éva Nahoczki, András Botos, Betti Bóday-Bagó, Diana Chvalla
Structure: Tibor Pintér, Kornél Dulácska – Éki Terv Kft.
HVAC: Attila Lucz – HVArC Kft.
Pool technology: Beáta Sáth, Mátyás Szabó-Erdélyi – Fürdőterv Kft.
Wave technology: Anett Menyhárt, István Niebling – Dialcont Kft.
Electrical engineering: Dávid Aczél – Enova Kft.
Landscape: Sándor Mohácsi, Dóra Polarecki – S73 Kft.
Fire protection: György Decsi, Melinda Írisz Győri – Fireeng Kft.
Traffic: Géza Kertesi – Metróber Kft.
Client: Budapest Gyógyfürdői és Hévizei Zrt.
Main contractor: E-Builder Kft.