Kis-Balaton Visitors’ Centre, Fenékpuszta

Architect: Zsolt Vasáros
Text: Zorán Vukoszávlyev
Photos: Bendegúz Takáts, Richárd Tóth

The lake named Kis-Balaton is a wide marsh and moor zone of the river Zala, which formerly occupied a large area. Completed this summer, its Visitors’ Centre has architectural gestures that prove belongingness to the landscape. The structure is seated along the stream Gyöngyös and resembles a fault. It is split up along the flat geometric tracery of the grassy-tussocky terrain, the earth ramp rising between the northern and eastern edge of the site creates a two-storey building-lump, which forms the image of a transparent-permeable edifice. An abstract fissure face is made up by pillars open up from the direction of the access route, the wall of the porch marking the limits of the building retraces into the shadow behind the colonnaded facade designed like a blade. The composition achieved by a fairly limited variety of architectural means (and materials) heightens the object-like character of the structure, which is further enhanced by the delicately zig-zagging edges of the grass-covered earth-ramp enveloping the building. The object-like appearance is counteracted by the walkable roof of the „house”, which can be used as a playful open-air exhibition surface on which children can engage in more agile activities.

General design: Narmer Építészeti Stúdió
Leading architect: Zsolt Vasáros DLA
Architects: Emőke Bandur Juhász, Ágnes Eiszrich, Petra Kováts, Anna Kőnig, Zsolt Megyesi, Gábor Nagy, Áron Sasvári, Anikó Somlai, Melinda Vasáros-Lévai
Project management: Balaton-felvidéki Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság
Public utilities: László Tászler – Tónus Építész és Mérnöki Tervező Kft., Attila Bíró – Kész Kft.
Structure: Norbert Blasius – X-pol Kft., Zsuzsanna Fischer Szabóné – Alapkő Kft.
Electrical engineering: Ilona Nyári – Libella Lux Kft., András Peták – V.A.-IQ Kft.
HVAC: Csaba Makáry, Tamás Mottl, Zoltán Kalmár – Agorex Kft.
Fire protection: István Horváth (eng. terv), Orsolya Brindzik – Pentamer Kft. (kiviteli terv)
Traffic: Balázs Balogh – Koloroptika Bt.
Accessibility: Anna Kormányos
Landscape, garden: Krisztina Müller – NAPkert-bioFÉNY Bt.
Noise and vibration control: László Borbás – Arcticus Bt.
Kitchen technology: Piroska Kaszab – Multi Konyha
Geotechnology: Attila Válinth – Geovál Kft.
Safe and health control: Gábor Köbl – Köbly Safety Kft.
Scientific and exhibition experts: Éva Fejes, Annamária Kopek dr., Zoltán Kovács, Zoltán Puskás, Szilárd Somlai, Péter Szinai