MARKET HQ BUILDING | Sandor Duzs

A Budapest northern suburb. Hard to find, hard to see... With a mixed use neighbourhood needing modern and design-led office space, a dynamic and forward thinking construction company as a client and an eye catching landmark hoped for; a simple, honest and abstract way to achieve the aim was to cut off a slice from the space around. Abstract yet clean to be easily understood. A cutting element strong enough to form transparent space. How to reach if not exceed these targets? With simple tools… Firstly catch the surrounding space, express a folding, abstract, cutting element – a shell – to emphasise the overall concept and envelop the whole under a transparent veil. Secondly clear services out of the space – wet, kitchen and storage elements are attached to the sides with major plant underground. The result was a building of contrasts brought to life by its owners in – house skill and workmanship, highlighting cleanliness and functional thinking in an abstract manner, simultaneously a workspace and a comfortable centre of gravity – altogether able to demonstrate the builders’ architectural reach and ambition. But there are invisible environmental gestures too, focused on helping exceed the initial concept: thermal mass, natural ventilation, grey-water harvesting, intelligent lighting control and solar & photovoltaic panels are already in use, alongside future-proofing for photovoltaic curtain panels.