Ruins of Valide Sultana Baths; Ellátó – Arkt Arts Centre

Architects: Tas Komáromi (Valide Sultana); Gábor Fábián, Dénes Fajcsák (Ellátó – Arkt Arts Centre)
Text: Miklós Okrutay
Photos: József Hajdú

Eger has been enriched with two developments recently which have the potentials to evolve into genuine venues in the depth of this town of modest size. The protective roof erected above the ruins of the steam bath of Valide Sultana hamam (the Sultan’s mother), which is one of the most significant sites from the century-long era of the Turkish occupation in Hungary, is a real hit: an exemplary gesture of the reconstruction of protected historic buildings to follow. Everything we have seen here is basically authentic, the in situ state is unquestionable. We were walking on the original floor level which is, however, not covered with bricks: it is a metal lattice to expose the remains of the original flooring. The continuation and complementation of the wall bodies are made from the locally found stones used in a design identical with the original fabric. The roofing itself does not evolve as a mass drawing with a single sweep, but is subdivided into several components in an attempt to follow the original spatial units. A similarly authentic solution is seen in the restored building in Gárdonyi gardens which hosts the Ellátó („Supplier”) arts centre: housing a service organisation of the municipality, it is a gradually deteriorating, almost ruinous structure built back in the 1960s. The key word is recycling here, a second-generation ruinous pub featuring the occupation and exploitation of the found place but conscious formation going beyond gags and many gestures, the majority of which remains invisible. Opening spaces into each other was implemented by a system of raw concrete struts. Creating transparency towards the garden with a frameless glass expanse. Sliced up trunk facework for the deck and a recycled molino on the facades. Inside there is a high standard café and wine garden as well as a contemporary exhibit area. Life has moved in the garden, with the mission of creating a community here.

Ruins of Valide Sultana Baths

General design: Egri Építész Iroda Kft.
Architects: Tas Komáromi, György Dely
Fellow architects: Eszter Durbák, István Horváth, Eszter Sánta
Archeology: dr. Győző Gerő, László Fodor
Survey plan: ART’V Mérnöki Iroda Kft.
Structure: Sándor Styaszny, Gábor Renn – Akonstrukt Kft.
Electrical engineering: Ferenc Bozsó – POLIVÁLL BT.
HVAC: László Vankó – Energotech Eger Kft.
Landscape: Tamás Hacsi – Heves Megyei Területfejlesztési Ügynökség Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft.
Public utilities, roads: Antal Türk – Egri Közmű Tervező Iroda Bt.
Accessibility: Erika Fülöp
Geodesy: Sándor Tóth
Main contractor: NIVÓBER Kft.
Construction manager: Tibor Viszkok
Client: Eger Megyei Jogú Város Önkormányzata

Ellátó – Arkt Arts Centre

Architects: Gábor Fábián, Dénes Fajcsák