Almost half of applications submitted to the Millenáris Széllkapu idea competition, which awaited entries on the potential functions of a public park to be created on the area where the soon-to-be-demolished building of the former Ministry of Industry can still be found on Margit Avenue, came from people who are not architects, Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga said at the ceremony for presenting the awards for winners of the project.
“The jury was quite surprised to realize how many people from various walks of life have been inspired by the competition, although besides architects we had purposely addressed non-professionals in the call for the idea competition,” he stressed, adding the applications to the idea competition serve as basis for the architectural design competition to be announced later for the development of this area.
The jury has found 23 out of the altogether 228 entries they had received to be worthy of winning an award and of future use. Mihály Varga said that the eight-storey office building completed in 1971 was erected in a wind tunnel which should keep the air clean in one of the busiest neighbourhoods of Buda by channelling the air mass towards the Danube.
As the Minister said, “Budapest provides various development options and I am glad to see that at various points of Budapest civil initiatives which may facilitate this progress are very much active. Those who have submitted their ideas to this competition have become part of a meaningful community project.”
Millenáris Széllkapu Nonprofit Ltd CEO Zoltán Halmai stated that the demolishing of the building will begin in a couple of days. “We have received several ingenious ideas, the feasibility of which we need to seriously contemplate, and a final decision on how to proceed will be made after each and every aspect has been assessed,” he stressed.
Mayor of District II Zsolt Láng pointed out that the jury’s job was made quite difficult as the most diverse aspects had to be considered, because the management of Millenáris was focusing on the optimal utilization of the site, architects were aspiring to exploit architectural options, while the district municipality was aiming to minimize disruptions caused by construction works and to achieve that after being completed the area offers a more comfortable and friendlier environment for those living in the neighbourhood and for all Budapest residents.
Jury Chairman and Architect Gábor Turányi emphasised, “this has been the most exciting and most complex assignment for me ever as a jury member, as we could see so very many high-quality, youthful, versatile entries.”
The Millenáris Széllkapu Nonprofit Ltd announced the idea competition in January 2014 for the rehabilitation of the area bordered by Margit Avenue, Kis Rókus Street, Fény Street and the Mammut II shopping mall.
Anyone could submit entries of the ideas related to the functions of the public park to be created on the site of the building about to be abolished, while professional architects competed in a separate category.
Within the two categories 108 and 120 entries were received until the deadline of 24 February.
In the Millenáris Teátrum, Minister for National Economy and leaders of the district municipality presented prizes and certificates to the winners of the competition, while they also opened an exhibition where the best entries are displayed until 30 April.
(Ministry for National Economy)
