The Reconstruction of the Civilian Casino in Buda

Architect: Jassó Sándor
Interiors: Radnóczy Eszter
Text: Zöldi Anna
Photos: Kőrösi Tamás / Esterpartners.com

At a hub of the Buda side of the capital city, which is overburdened with traffic but would deserve a better fate, the metaphorical island of aristocratic leisure of bygone days has been restored to its old glory. To start out the project of the Civilian Casino of Buda, designers had to consider which components of the 19th century architecture within the context of the changed transport and urban structural roles. The building with corner spires standing opposite the church of Krisztinaváros, which contained the rooms of the casino, adjusted to both the decoration and scales of its contemporary cityscape. Designed by Imre Francsek, the house with sophisticated elegant decor, this house also hosted it on its first floor with an abundantly graced grand hall, several parlours, a room for smokers, a library room and a game room as well. The building with the ground floor plus two storeys used to house a restaurant in the cellar, retails on the ground-floor and apartments for rent on the second floor. The casino itself as a symbol of gentry lifestyle was closed down for good in 1945, and it hosted a party headquarters till the change of the political system, and later was used as offices. Finally, it was repossessed by the local government, which had it restored to its original communal functions.

Investor: Budavári Önkormányzat, I.kerület
General Architecture: JASSÓ Építészműhely Kft.
Leading architect: Sándor Jassó
Fellow architects: Adrienn Bársony, Krisztina Orbán-Szlávik, Vince Orbán, Viktor Tóth
Interiors: Eszter Radnóczy, Csilla Szabó, Mónika Szommer – este’r partners
Monument history expert: Andrea dr. Haris
Painting restoration: Edina Fodor – LAUDART Kft.
Acoustics: Zsuzsanna Alabárdos – Arató Akusztikai Kft.
Structure: Balázs Marót– Fabius Plus Kft.
Structure: Dr. habil Gábor Becker PhD, DLA – Adeco Kft.
Fire protection: György Decsi, Endre Ihnátisin – Fireeng Kft.
HVAC: Csaba Szöllősi, József Sári – Immo Pannon Kft.
Electrical engineering: Szilveszter Benke – W9 Mérnökiroda Kft.
Studio technology: Miklós Perneczky, Máté Kovács – Studiotech Kft.
Timber research: Beáta Varró –Fecz-com Bt.
Accessibility: Ágota Ruttkay-Miklián – SP63-67 Építésziroda Bt.
Main contractor: Balázs Tar, Sándor Kovács – LAKI Épületszobrász Zrt.
Monument protection expert: Gábor Virágos Dr. – Faveo Consulting Kft.
Technical supervisor: Ágoston Szabó – Bon Control Kft.