The Gym Hall of the Dominican Sisters’ School, Kőszeg

Architects: István Bartók, Péter Fejérdy
Text: György Major
Photos: Balázs Danyi

Founded in 1868, the girls’ school of the Dominican nuns in Kőszeg has given a Catholicism spirited co-ed from kindergarten to mature exams since its restart at the time of the change of the political system to appr. 451 students. The institution has been built in several stages on more than one sites over a wide terrain which is still dwarfed by the enormous premises of the military complex located opposite us. The kindergarten maintained by the order was built in 2011, the gymnasium opened now is the most recent addition to the existing complex, both of them designed by Fejérdy–Bartók studio. The gym hall reaches beyond the existing spatial structure. The two-storey building mass is an additively attached single-storey transitory space regarding its surfaces, structuring, and organisation. Sinking the floor level of the hall one level lower allowed to create the changing rooms, stores below the terrain level. On the courtyard level an open-closed steel structure wing connects the new building part with the school so that we can enter a spacious multi-functional division space from the direction of the yard. The hall which doubles as an events venue offers fine views with the two-storey foyer with an undivided glass partition, the classrooms suited for different subjects are easily accessible via a wide and generously designed staircase.

Client: Árpád-házi Szent Margitról Nevezett Szent Domonkos Rendi Nővérek
Architecture: Fejérdy és Bartók Építészeti Kft.
Leading architects: István Bartók, Péter Fejérdy
Fellow architects: Szabolcs Magyar, Dániel Baráth
Structure: Dr. Gergely Dobszay
Framework: Zoltán Bukits – Pannon Archikon Kft.
HVAC: Zsolt Idrányi – Idrányi és Társa Bt.
Eelectrical engineering: István Kalmár – Kalmárvill Bt.
Fire protection: Dr. Lajos Gábor Takács
Garden: Gábor Pintér
Main contractor: MIKOLASEK Építő és Szolgáltató Kft.