The time when only a few fanatics were passionate about Hungarian architecture of the sixties and seventies is slowly passing. Although there were many reasons for the lack of enthusiasm, nowadays more and more people notice the value and beauty in some of the more successful buildings of the era. The Budapest100 architectural and cultural festival also chose the architecture of the seventies as its central theme. Tudas.hu explored the architecture of the era with the help of contemporary photos.
After the war, in the communist era, everything was put on a new foundation. Naturally, this included the sector with the task to rebuild the country not only figuratively but also literally – writes Dávid Zubreczki at tudas.hu.
At the end of the 1940s, private practices were abolished, and in the 1950s, the socialist realist style was made mandatory, following the Soviet model. Despite all this, many outstanding, important and beautiful buildings were also built in this era. Buildings that are interesting not only because of some kind of “retro feeling”. They are not “soc-modern” houses, but fresh, vibrant buildings in line with contemporary international trends, which could have been built anywhere at that time, even in the western world.
Such an example is the modern tower block that has become an integral part of the capital’s skyline, the Körszálló hotel, which was opened in 1967, designed by Szrogh György (KÖZTI). It has been unwaveringly popular for more than half a century.
The easing political atmosphere of the sixties boosted tourism, more and more visitors came to Hungary and this facilitated new projects. Western tourists were no longer seen as enemies, but as a source of income for the economy. In Budapest, the Hilton chain opened a new hotel right on Castle Hill. Since KÖZTI had previously designed the reconstruction of the Castle District and the Royal Palace, they were also commissioned to design the hotel, which was considered a “super project” in its time.
Further interesting details about buildings of the 1960-1970s can be found at the following link https://tudas.hu/mit-lehet-szeretni-a-hetvenes-evek-hazain-fotoarchivumot-hivtuk-segitsegul-a-valaszert/
Photos: tudas.hu
