Text: György Szegő, editor-in-chief We have dedicated this compilation of contemporary Hungarian architecture to the work of architect Imre Makovecz, who was born 90 years ago. Makovecz’s environmental approach to architecture and organic thinking are still relevant today all over the world. He was one of those who did the most for local values and […]
2025/6
What reality am I talking about?
Text: Imre Makovecz An architect who designs and builds houses for people, whether they are family homes, apartment buildings, offices, or train stations, designs a world that, through its form, use of materials, and functions, speaks to people in the spirit of the place, to their immediate, personal, and often unconscious needs, and shapes them. […]
The Nation Building Art of Imre Makovecz
Text: György Szegő This essay introducing the thematic issue on the 90th anniversary of Imre Makovecz’s birth aims to sketch the context of the architect’s philosophical worldview, his faith and, above all, his radiantly powerful gesamtkunst, which transcends genres, as well as the historical context of his architecture and the specific sources associated with it. […]
The Hungarian Pavilion at the Sevilla Expo
Text: Jeffrey Cook This building is a wonderfully rich and complex creation based on just a few simple ideas. The first visual impression, the sight of the seven pointed towers rising asymmetrically from the gently curving surface of the roof may appear somewhat whimsical. Only when we compare it with the floor plan does the […]
Introduction to the Exhibition on Organic Hungarian architecture
Text: Paolo Portoghesi Architecture is the most important tool for transforming the Earth’s crust with which we contribute to the creation of a great, shared work, much in the same as corals and countless other species. But whereas coral reefs grow harmoniously and proportionally, and thus do not upset the equilibrium of our Earth, the […]
Continuing Creation
Text: János Gerle Kós Károly Association was founded in the fall of 1989 to experiment with forming a new type of social organization based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner, with environmental design as a starting point. The founders of the association sought to transform the impulse behind organic architecture, which had been in existence […]
The Makovecz Effect
Text: Attila Turi Architect Imre Makovecz was the most significant Hungarian master builder of the last third of the 20th century. If we view architecture not only as an engineering and artistic activity aimed at creating objects, but also as a healing act aimed at community building and improving community and social relations, we will […]
Hagymatikum, the Temple of Baths
Makó, Municipal Thermal and Adventure Baths Complex Text: Judit Gerencsér The image of the town of Makó is fundamentally defined by the architecture of Imre Makovecz, thanks to its management back in those days. The magical architectural complex named Hagymatikum stands out even among the architect’s other completed buildings with its conceptuality, richness of thoughts, […]
The Design of the Church in Upper Krisztinaváros
Text: Imre Makovecz The interior and exterior spaces of the planned church, the bridges built inside the church, and the saints and damned souls walking on them all come together to represent the world of salvation and judgment for those arriving at the church. At the intersection of the bridges stands Archangel Michael, bearing the […]
Preserving Built Heritage
Text: Eszter Götz In 2015, a decision unprecedented in Hungarian culture was made: Government Resolution No. 2022/2015 (XII. 29.) on the preservation of Imre Makovecz’s oeuvre established the Imre Makovecz Fund for the implementation of plans and renovation of buildings that form part of Imre Makovecz’s heritage. (XII. 29.), which, in addition to the worthy […]
Károly Kós Association
The association was founded in 1989 by seven small cooperatives. The founders unanimously chose the name Károly Kós, naturally embracing the spirit and legacy associated with it. Under the leadership of the three founding masters, Miklós Kampis, Imre Makovecz, and István Kálmán, the Károly Kós Association was thus established. The organization operates on the basis […]
Makovecz as Chief Architect
Text: Ferenc Salamin Imre Makovecz’s legacy and influence are multi-faceted and versatile, but one of the most important aspects is his practice as chief architect and its continuation today. He did not formulate too many theories about the work and tasks of a chief architect, only the most important ones: every settlement should have an […]