Modern Movement in Hungary
Characteristics of the Architecture of the Modern Movement in Hungary from the end of the 1920s
By Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
architecture, design, furniture
Since 2003, October has been Architecture Month in Hungary, apropos of World Habitat Day, which has been celebrated since 1986 worldwide on the first Monday of October, and of World Architecture Day on 6 October. The latter was initiated by the International Union of Architects.
In 2004, a new professional event series was introduced in Hungary, which has become an annual tradition: held in the first week of October, Budapest Design Week concerns itself with a field of creativity that has always been closely related to architecture.
The Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest holds the estates of many Hungarian architects and designers who were active in the first half of the 20th century. Therefore, on the occasion of the current world days and the Architecture Month in Hungary, we now present a selection of such modern Hungarian villa, interior and furniture designs, as well as realized furniture, that bear the influence of the Modern Movement.
Villa and house design swiftly became the definitive genre of a new architectural approach for the Hungarian representatives of the Modern Movement.
The many restrictive factors that characterised conditions in Hungary at the time all forced architects to turn to tasks that could be carried out for the lowest cost, yet provide the greatest freedom in the realization of the design program: the design of houses and villas.
The lack of organised (social) housing commissions meant that designers committed to new architectural trends were only able to achieve their community goals on a modest scale, and were forced to lend their talents at the service of the affluent class. The houses built for this class combined and contained all the basic principles of modern design, and thus became the highest quality examples of the architecture of that age.
The majority of family villas built according to the precepts of modernism in Budapest on Rózsadomb, in Pasarét, and on the southern slopes of Gellérthegy, were the work of architects who were in some way connected to CIRPAC.
The new principles already appeared in the placement of the house: i.e. in the orientation of the building. Never before had so much attention been paid as in the architecture of the 1930’s to natural surroundings and the utilization of sunlight.
Apart from the exploitation of invigorating sunlight, the location of doors and windows also received a prominent role in the formation of the exterior, as the doors and windows became the sole decorative elements of the smooth walls of these buildings comprising of simple geometric forms and closed, block-like shapes.
By exploiting the possibilities offered by reinforced concrete frameworks, architects strove for previously difficult to implement, interesting form-solutions that made the mass of their buildings more eventful.
The most conspicuous change in the external appearance of the buildings was the almost sole use of flat roofs whose horizontal surfaces provided exceptional possibilities for the formation of roof-top terraces and gardens.
In terms of materials employed, technical implementation, and engineering hardware, these villas were the most modern of the time. The architects who grew up on Le Corbusier’s resident machine strove to cram every modern piece of technology into their buildings: not only the smart reinforced concrete structures and internal sliding walls, but everything else from hidden lighting to cactus and flower windows heated by specially designed circulating hot water systems.
The concepts of space and spatial design became the most important concepts for designers. The layout and proportions of the floor plan were based strictly on functional principles and were adapted to the spatial needs and lifestyle of the owner.
Havas Villa (Budapest) , plan of the living quarters (inv. no. KRTF/545.)Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
The living quarters of the Havas Villa
The various rooms were organised around a central living room (vide no. 6). The living room, the main room in which people spent their days, also fulfilled the role of an area for social get-togethers and often that of a study.
Because it took on many functions, it was usually quite large, often significantly exceeding 50 square metres. The dining room was intrinsically connected to the living room, usually via some form of mobile wall arrangement (vide nos. 6-7).
"The living room is not the family’s room, but rather that of those independent individuals soon to be freed from the tyranny of the family. The living room is the heart of the dynamic home awakening from its rigidity. The living room is the room of freedom, and that is why modern people and modern artists like the living room." (Gyula Háy: "A lakószoba" [The Living Room], SF 1930, 48.)
Havas Villa (Budapest) , plan of the living quarters (inv. no. KRTF/545.)Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
Depending on the owner’s lifestyle, a study or studio was added according to need. The maid’s room, an inherent feature of the bourgeois lifestyle, was located next to the service rooms (vide nos. 4, 11).
The first floor of the Havas Villa
By striving for economically sized bedrooms, designers were able to provide a separate room for each member of the family (vide nos. 14-16).
Havas Villa (Budapest) , drawing of the bathroom (inv. no. KRTF/553.)Museum of Applied Arts, Budapest
The clean, simple, bright forms that highlighted the characteristics of materials in architecture demanded that the transformation of furniture and interiors follow in the same spirit.
The primary requirement of interior design became comfort and cleanliness. The smoothness and closed forms of the furniture also had to satisfy the criteria of cleanliness.
The previously huge, unmovable pieces had to be replaced by lighter ones with “mobile” characteristics that adapted to the changed spatial structures. The aim was to preserve the airiness and spaciousness of the well-lit inner spaces.
The new style of furnishings required fewer pieces that didn’t disturb the overall view of the space, could be arranged economically. They were not necessarily of the same style, yet still harmonised with each other.
Since the living room had taken on the function of several previous rooms, its furnishings also had to adapt to the new tasks – the built-in or integral furniture arrangements were born.
These combined-elements were most often bookshelves or combinations of lower cupboards and settees, adapting to the multifunctional needs of the new living areas. The overall effect was made more colourful with practical, stand-alone seating and smaller furniture pieces.
Villa in the Rózsadomb, Budapest (archive photograph) - study of the villaMuseum of Applied Arts, Budapest
Texts: Éva Horányi
Editorial and introductory text: Sarolta Sztankovics
