CONTEMPORARY ON CLASSICAL

Copper-clad rooftop additions to a neo-classical style boutique hotel in Szabadsg Square, Budapest, Hungary, continue a tradition of periodic building remodelling in that city.
Since the early part of the 19th century, downtown Budapest has been characterised by organic development. Buildings grew in height and got a face lift in historic styles. Single and two storey houses were extended with two or three additional floors and, according to the trend of the time, buildings were reconstructed with new faades chosen eclectically from different historical styles. All this was seen as a consequence of the natural life of the city. In this tradition, a substantial 4-storey corner block building already subject to periodic expansion over the years has been extended with a contemporary 2-storey structure clad entirely with pre-oxidised copper. This addition was made possible by construction of a new structural wall behind the original faade, also enabling extensive internal remodeling in a thor-

Architects: Pter Reimholz and Pter Nagy, Tams Nmeth Copper installer: Narva Kft. Photo: Jzsef Hajdu Text based on an article by: Zorn Vukoszvlyev

oughly modern style, while maintaining the top-lit central atrium space. The rooftop intervention steps back behind the top cornice and its copper surface plays second fiddle to the monochrome facades below.

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Despite its neo-classical exterior, the hotel has a thoroughly contemporary interior.

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COPPER ARCHITECTURE FORUM 30/2011

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