Contemporary regional architecture in Szeklerland
Text: Enikő Sarolta Rab

At present, regional architecture in Szeklerland (the Land of the Székely minority) is about adaptation to the local natural and built environment and relative proportionality with the fabric of the village, revealing strong ties to the centuries-old tradition of timber architecture. In the 21st century, there is still a strong tradition of using wood as a local building material for roofs, interiors and temporary structures in both urban and rural settings. These simple structures of everyday use form integral parts of the material culture of the region, shaping local vernacular identity to a significant extent. The local elementary building tradition has given rise to building typologies (such as Sekler gates, barns, houses, acidulous mineral water baths, guesthouses) that are powerfully and influentially convey the atmosphere of the area. In addition, the oeuvre of Károly Kós and his interest in ethnography are still lively preserve in the consciousness of the professional public, and therefore an approach using and reinterpreting folk traditions, with contents, structural and functional transformations appropriate to the contemporary scene remains essential.
Having moved back to Szeklerland on completing their studies, a significant number of designers who have graduated from various architectural schools in the country are recognisably perform their creative tasks with a similar approach and social responsibility. As of today, a second generation is also emerging. This has resulted in houses that represent a certain kind of duality, a blend of traditional and contemporary technologies and mindset, a planned moment between the old and the new, an anonymous and artistic architecture, handcrafted and prefab construction. Given its small ecological footprint, the result seems to be in line with international ecological and climate-conscious approaches, which means there are still hidden reserves of building culture in Szeklerland for the future.