Millennium House, Budapest

Architects: Csaba Nagy, Károly Pólus
Text: Sándor Csontó
Photos: Tamás Bujnovszky

The reconstruction of the former Olof Palme House, one of the oldest historic buildings in the City Park has been completed within the framework of Liget Budapest Project. Beautifully facelifted, it now welcomes visitors as the Millennium House with an interactive exhibition presenting the golden era of the City Park as well as with a cafe of fin-de-siecle atmosphere graced with Zsolnay ceramics. The strict regulations of historic reconstructions largely limited the architects fantasy to realize their own individual concepts. The patinated building was modernized by focussing on traditions and 21st-century standards. One of the basic principles was not to move the decorations from their original places if possible so the majority was restored on-site. In the interior galleries and walls built later were demolished in order to restore the spatial structure of the original concept. The interior design and decor of the cafe is generous and exciting, walls now are graced with enlarged Zsolnay plates and art deco style furniture.

General design: Archikon Építésziroda
Leading architects: Csaba Nagy, Károly Pólus
Architects: Krisztina T. Major, Botond Benedek
Fellow architects: Long Yining, Szilvia Sebestyén, Gergő Zsidek – BIM
Interiors: Krisztina T. Major, Long Yining
Restaurant interior: Miklós Kiss
Interiors of the exhibition area: Dániel Taraczky
Monument heritage protection: Dr. Attila Déry
Framework: Dr. Miklós Armuth, Gábor Cséfalvay, Gábor Szaniszló – Tetra-Plan Kft.
HVAC: Tibor Gáspár, Mónika Malustyik, Sándor Kovács – Kőrös-Consult Kft.
Electrical engineering: Szabolcs Fehér, József Máté – Artrea Consulting Kft.
Fire protection: György Decsi – Fireeng Kft.
Kitchen technology: András Gauland – Teco Gastro
Breeam: Éva Beleznay – Abud
Restoration: Gergely Kelecsényi – Alakart Kft.
Structure, isolation: Balázs Takács – Frt Raszter Kft.
Client: Városliget Ingatlanfejlesztő Zrt.
Main contractor: Épkar Zrt.