The remodelling and extension of St John the Baptist School Centre in Zsámbék

Architect: Zoltán Kovács
Text: Tamás Dévényi
Photos: Balázs Danyi

The premontrean order arrived in Zsámbék 100 years later and possessed the monastery built in honour of St John the Baptist till 1475. Its founder, knight Aynard had his masonry castle here the ruins of which were used as the foundations for the Baroque-style mansion which was turned into the new home for the nunnery of the order. White sisters have been teaching in the village as well as in the castle since 1990. The second stage of the remodelling was managed by Zoltán Kovács, the task being to redesign the partly existing wing embracing almost entirely the courtyard with its three storeys at parts almost life-dangerous. Design deserves special attention as they did not choose „newpaperarchitecture”, and of course they are also talented: the project is proof of a thoughtful and considerate architect, with systematic decision-making strategies, respecting the past not only based on the official values matched with an attitude to design regarding the falsification of values as unacceptable.

Client: Gödöllői Premontrei Perjelség
Architecture, interiors: Kollektív Műterem Kft.
Leading architect: Zoltán Kovács
Architects: Zoltán Kovács, János Golda
Project architect: Gyula Csontos
Fellow architects: Katalin Alkér, Anna Jani, Gábor Nagy, Nóra Ostoroczky, Réka Páhy, Herta Pászli, Annamária Tóth, Katalin Tusor, Domonkos Ujfalussy, Dániel Vermes
Structure: József† Schreiber
HVAC: Tamás Fejes
Electrical engineering: Ferenc Rajkai
Fire protection: Csaba Szökő
Monument history research: Réka Kralovánszky, Zoltán Szabó
Outdoor public utilities: Attila Bíró
Environment: Dániel Kontra, Borbála Király-Salgó
Traffic: Miklós Wettstein
Kitchen technology: András Gauland, Krisztián Újvári
Acoustics: Andor Tamás Fürjes