Festival Valley, Tokaj

Architect: Csaba Bodonyi
Text: Edit Pálinkás
Photos: Ákos Sárai, Tibor Hanák, Edit Pálinkás

Closed down for good in 1999, the quarry in Tokaj almost exactly evokes the experience of an open-air ancient Greek theatre with its well-known setting. As a result, it offers an ideal venue for outdoor events. The idea to make use of these local facilities had already occurred in 1992 when the very first sketches of such a concept were made. And now in 2014 it has been realized at last as the series of programmes titled „Tokaji Fesztiválkatlan”. The mass of the theatre building, the axis of the auditorium as well as its geometry are defined by the view of the rockface of the former quarry. Seating 2,500 people, the open-air summer theatre features a 1,300 m2 stage of which 375 m2 can be roofed in, and it also has a revolving built-in stage with a diameter of 14 metres at the same level as that of the stage. Two light towers, each with two-three levels, flank the auditorium beneath which there are heated and insulated multifunctional interior units suited to use in winter. The exhibition area is shared between two interoperable rooms on 500 square metre, as well as the entertainment area made complete with a buffet and a restaurant to cater for visitors. The central administration unit is found in the gallery. The variability of space and rooms allow for a versatile design and configuration of exhibition materials, and opening the two rooms into one permits to host more significant events of larger scales. Beneath the stage there is a store of the same floor area to keep scenery, decor and props, part of which can also be used as a roofed car park for the contributors.

Client: Tokaj város Önkormányzata, Májer János polgármester
Architect: Csaba Bodonyi DLA – Bodonyi Építész Kft.
Fellow architects: Krisztina Bálint, Róbert Rády, János Hidasnémeti, László Kripkó, Orsolya Tellér, András Molnár
Statics: László Kerényi – Statika-M Kft.
HVAC: Gábor Cservenyák – Klímasol Kft.
Electrical engineering: Gábor Münnich – Fényesvölgy Kft.
Public utilities: Katalin Nagyné Nyitrai – Aquis Bt.
Garden: Sára Dobos – Élettér Bt.
Roads and parking: Lóránt Kiss – MONMENT-X Bt.
Stability: Tamás Tasnádi, Dr. Szabolcs Leél Őssy
Stage technology: Lőrinc Strack
Lighting and acoustics: András Kotschy – Kotschy Bt.
Leading construction manager: István Havacs
Audiovisual system: Zaj Kft., Interton Kft.
Project managers: István Dévald, Péter Dzsupin, János Dóka, Dr. Róbert Bagaméry-Szalay
Main contractor: D-Z-K Konzorcium Nyíregyháza