Elysium Condominium, Budapest

Architect: Ferenc Balogh
Text: Anna Zsoldos
Photos: Tamás Bujnovszky

The former resort building has been part of the cityscape defining that of the Buda Hills since since 1971. Meeting contemporary expectations back in those days, and also overusing the excellent potentials of its location and terrain, it had a capacity for 506 guests to stay, primarily for those using its health services meant to cure rheumatic and respiratory illnesses. Standing on a total of 90 plinths made of concrete, it also screens the vistas from the surrounding mansions of the „bourgeois” middle class. The structure was in possession of several owners during the privatisation era following the change of the political system, and it demolition was launched meanwhile with the explanation that its horizontal configuration is not flexible enough to meet the new requirements and needs, and the interior height is rather too low. In 2016, the new owner published an open design tender for the rehabilitation of the building, which had no winners, only awarded entries. The completed building, however, did not convey the results and achievements of the design tender, as the awarded plans were only used for it as adaptations. The badly deteriorated structure was demolished during the construction stage, and then was rebuilt with the same mass, with the addition of two storeys and increased interiors heights. They did not mean to destroy its spirituality, that is the ambition and desire to have the affordable luxury of the era. As a result, a building with the same proportions and scales, and identical facade design layout was constructed adapted to meet contemporary requirements.

Client: Rózsadomb Panoráma Kft.
Developer: RED Real Kft.
General architecture: CÉH Tervező, Beruházó és Fejlesztő Zrt.
Interiors: Sandroza Kft. Rózsa Csavarga, T1 STUDIO Kft., Bence Török Szabolcs
Main contractor: Market Építő Zrt.