The building of the Slachta Margit Special College and Student Hostel is a creative and perfect example of how changes in the function of a building, resulting from economic and social changes, do not necessarily require radical interventions, but rather attentive, thoughtful and innovative solutions. The Hungarian Management Training Foundation commissioned KÖZTI with the design of the building’s transformation into a student hostel and special college. The article about this can be found in the next issue of OCTOGON.
Slachta Margit Special College and Student Hostel is located in a pleasant, green belt area of the XI. District, in Budapest. It is an elite institute for university students which offers comfortable accomodation, but also facilities for self-directed learning and help for those with leadership ambitions.
The former laboratory building, located at the corner of Aga Street and Tardoskedd Street, was designed at IPARTERV between 1975-76, its lead architect was Rimanóczy Jenő. The laboratory, primarily used in air pollution and water quality control, enjoyed its heyday in the 1990s and 2000s, after which the building slowly became uninhabited and stood empty for nearly ten years. The strict design of the laboratory plan suited its function. The original architects designed a building of prefabricated structures, the rigidity of its appearance was softened by the semicircular staircase. This layout gave the architects of KÖZTI the latitude to accommodate the new function with only minimal transformation and expansion. The design took into account the unique features of the building and preserved its original character despite modernization. Maintaining the original height of the building, the shape of the roof profile and evoking the original facade architecture were particularly important aspects of the design. The laboratory building, which had been empty for years, was given a second life facilitated by its new function. Rooms suitable for education, training, further education, vocational college activities and a student hostel have been established in the building.
To accommodate the new function, first of all it was necessary to tear down and relocate internal structural elements. The largest-scale intervention was the relocation of the elevator shaft, which enabled the separation of private and community spaces. Thus, a spacious, continuous space has been created on each floor, which is suitable for accommodating public and community functions and it is directly connected to the vertical circulation core. On the ground floor, close to the entrance, the building’s shared chapel has been placed in a prominent position, while on the other floors, a gym, kitchen, library and common study room serve the comfort of the residents. A 50-person lecture hall has also been created on the fourth floor.
Further details about the building can be found in the following article: https://www.octogon.hu/epiteszet/kozel-tiz-evig-uresen-allo-laborepulet-felujitasaval-keszult-el-a-slachta-margit-kollegium/
