Imre Makovecz
Encyclopedia
Imre Makovecz was a Hungarian
architect active in Europe from the late 1950s onward.
Makovecz was born and died in Budapest
. He attended the Technical University of Budapest. He was founder and "eternal and executive president" of the Hungarian Academy of Arts.
Makovecz was one of the most prominent proponents of organic architecture
. As such, his buildings attempt to work with the natural surroundings rather than triumph over them. Frank Lloyd Wright
and Rudolf Steiner
are both strong influences, as is traditional Hungarian art.
His work began as a critique of communist ideology and the brutal uniformity of system building but, after the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, it became a comment on the nature of globalisation and corporate culture. In its attempts to refer to and build on Hungarian national archetypes Makovecz was continuing the work and ideas of the architects of Hungarian Art Nouveau and National Romanticism. The first English language monograph on his work, Imre Makovecz: The Wings of the Soul, by Edwin Heathcote
, was published in 1997.
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
architect active in Europe from the late 1950s onward.
Makovecz was born and died in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. He attended the Technical University of Budapest. He was founder and "eternal and executive president" of the Hungarian Academy of Arts.
Makovecz was one of the most prominent proponents of organic architecture
Organic architecture
Organic architecture is a philosophy of architecture which promotes harmony between human habitation and the natural world through design approaches so sympathetic and well integrated with its site that buildings, furnishings, and surroundings become part of a unified, interrelated...
. As such, his buildings attempt to work with the natural surroundings rather than triumph over them. Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
and Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Joseph Lorenz Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, social reformer, architect, and esotericist. He gained initial recognition as a literary critic and cultural philosopher...
are both strong influences, as is traditional Hungarian art.
His work began as a critique of communist ideology and the brutal uniformity of system building but, after the fall of the Communist regime in 1989, it became a comment on the nature of globalisation and corporate culture. In its attempts to refer to and build on Hungarian national archetypes Makovecz was continuing the work and ideas of the architects of Hungarian Art Nouveau and National Romanticism. The first English language monograph on his work, Imre Makovecz: The Wings of the Soul, by Edwin Heathcote
Edwin Heathcote
Edwin Heathcote was born in London in 1968. He is an architect and designer. He has been the architecture and design critic of The Financial Times since 1999, and is the author of books on architecture and design...
, was published in 1997.
Makovecz's key works
- Cultural Center, SárospatakSárospatak----Sárospatak is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, northern Hungary. It lies northeast from Miskolc, in the Bodrog river valley. The town, often called simply Patak, is an important cultural centre.- History :The area has been inhabited since ancient times...
(completed in 1982) - Sports Hall, VisegrádVisegrádVisegrád is a small castle town in Pest County, Hungary.Situated north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube in the Danube Bend, Visegrád has a population 1,654 as of 2001...
(1985) - Town Hall and Commercial Center of Dunajská StredaDunajská StredaDunajská Streda is a town in southern Slovakia . Dunajská Streda is the most important town of the Žitný ostrov region. It has a Hungarian ethnic majority and its population is 23,562 -Name:...
- Community Center, KakasdKakasdKakasd is a village in Tolna County, Hungary.- External links :*...
(1996) - His group designed the buildings of the PiliscsabaPiliscsabaPiliscsaba is a village in Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary, located in extreme northwestern Pest County, near the border of Komárom-Esztergom in a valley between the Buda and Pilis hills. It is accessible by Road 10 and lies on the Budapest-Esztergom rail line, from the center of Budapest...
campus of Pázmány Péter Catholic UniversityPázmány Péter Catholic UniversityPázmány Péter Catholic University is a private university of the Catholic Church in Hungary, recognized by the State. Founded in 1635, the PPCU is one of Hungary's oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education....
. - Hungarian pavilion at the Seville Expo '92 in Seville, Spain.
Other important works
- Restaurant, BerhidaBerhidaBerhida is a town in Veszprém county, Hungary....
(1964); - Shark Restaurant, VelenceVelenceVelence is a town in the county of Fejér, Hungary, on the shore of Lake Velence.Its name is the same in Hungarian as that of the Italian city of Venice, though they are suffixed differently ....
(1965); - Fisherman's Inn, SzekszárdSzekszárdSzekszárd is a city in Hungary and the capital of Tolna county. By population, Szekszárd is the smallest county capital in Hungary; by area, it is the second smallest -Location:...
(1965); - Cottages, BalatonszepezdBalatonszepezdBalatonszepezd is a village in Veszprém county, Hungary, on the northern shore of the Balaton.-History:Balatonszepezd was first settled in the 13th century as a fishing village. It was first the domain of royal stewards, then of local nobles, and later on the bishop of Veszprém and the Benedictine...
(1965); - Inn, TatabányaTatabányaTatabánya is a city of 69,988 inhabitants in north-western Hungary, in the Central Transdanubian region. It is the capital of Komárom-Esztergom County.- Location :...
(1966); - Restaurant, Gyulavár (1969);
- Cultural Centre, SárospatakSárospatak----Sárospatak is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, northern Hungary. It lies northeast from Miskolc, in the Bodrog river valley. The town, often called simply Patak, is an important cultural centre.- History :The area has been inhabited since ancient times...
, (1972); - Restaurant, SzentendreSzentendreSzentendre is a riverside town in Pest county, Hungary, near the capital city Budapest. It is known for its museums , galleries, and artists. Due to its picturesque appearance and easy rail and river access, it has become a popular destination for tourists staying in Budapest...
, (1973); - Funeral Chapel, Farkasrét, (1975);
- Tourist Lodges, VisegrádVisegrádVisegrád is a small castle town in Pest County, Hungary.Situated north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube in the Danube Bend, Visegrád has a population 1,654 as of 2001...
, (1977); - Camping Complex and Recreation Centre, Visegrád, Mogyoró Hill, (1978);
- Ski-lift House, DobogókőDobogókoDobogókő is a popular holiday-maker place. Part of Pilisszentkereszt village in Hungary. 133 people live here.The highest point in the Visegrád Hills . Up in the hills lies the Ödön Téry Memorial, a stone pyramid built in memory of one of great pioneers of Hungarian tourism...
, (1979); - Farm and Restaurant, Visegrád, 1980);
- Cultural Centre, JászapátiJászapátiJászapáti is a town in Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county, in the Northern Great Plain region of central Hungary.-Geography:It covers an area of and has a population of 9913 people ....
(1983); - Community Centre, BakBakBąk may refer to the following places:*Bąk, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship *Bąk, Gmina Karsin in Pomeranian Voivodeship *Bąk, Gmina Stara Kiszewa in Pomeranian Voivodeship *Bąk...
, (1985); - Cultural Centre, SzigetvárSzigetvár-History:The town's fortress was the setting of the Battle of Szigetvár in 1566. It was a sanjak centre at first in Budin Province , later in Kanije Province .There was already a bum in the marshland back in the Celtic and Roman times...
, (1985); - Church , SiófokSiófokSiófok is a city in Hungary on the southern bank of Lake Balaton in Somogy County. The city is one of Hungary's most popular holiday destinations, famous for its beaches and nightlife. Siófok is one of the richest municipalities of Hungary due to tourism...
, (1986); - Holy Spirit Church, PaksPaksPaks is a town in Tolna county, central Hungary, on the banks of the Danube River. Paks is the home of the only Hungarian nuclear power plant, which provides about 40% the country's electricity....
, (1987); - Secondary School, SárospatakSárospatak----Sárospatak is a town in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, northern Hungary. It lies northeast from Miskolc, in the Bodrog river valley. The town, often called simply Patak, is an important cultural centre.- History :The area has been inhabited since ancient times...
, (1988); - Ecological Centre, ÜberlingenÜberlingenÜberlingen is a city on the northern shore of Lake Constance . After the city of Friedrichshafen, it is the second largest city in the Bodenseekreis , and a central point for the outlying communities...
, Germany, (1989); - Theatre and Hungarian Community Center, LendavaLendavaLendava is a town and a municipality in Slovenia in the region of Prekmurje. It is close to the border crossing with Hungary at Dolga vas-Rédics, and Hungarian is one of the official languages of the municipality, along with Slovene...
, (1991–2004); - Swimming Pool, EgerEgerEger is the second largest city in Northern Hungary, the county seat of Heves, east of the Mátra Mountains. Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, historic buildings , and red and white wines.- Name :...
, (1993); - Stephaneum, PiliscsabaPiliscsabaPiliscsaba is a village in Budapest metropolitan area, Hungary, located in extreme northwestern Pest County, near the border of Komárom-Esztergom in a valley between the Buda and Pilis hills. It is accessible by Road 10 and lies on the Budapest-Esztergom rail line, from the center of Budapest...
, (1995); - Church, SzázhalombattaSzázhalombattaSzázhalombatta is a town in Pest county, Hungary. The name of this town in Hungarian literally means "One hundred tumuli" referring to the tumulus field at the edge of the town.- History :...
, (1995); - OnionHouse Theatre, MakóMakóMakó is a town in Csongrád County in southeastern Hungary. It lies on the Maros River, near the Romanian border. The area of the town is of which is arable land. The climate is very warm with hot and dry summers. Makó and the surrounding region get the most sunshine in Hungary, about 85-90...
, (1995); - Funeral Chapel, Sfântu GheorgheSfântu GheorgheSfântu Gheorghe is the capital city of Covasna County, Romania. Located in the central part of the country and in the historical region of Transylvania, it lies on the Olt River in a valley between the Baraolt Mountains and Bodoc Mountains...
, Romania (1996); - Roman Catholic Church, Miercurea Ciuc, Romania (2001);
- Reformed church on Donath street, ClujClujCluj may refer to*Cluj-Napoca, county seat of Cluj County, named Cluj until 1974*Cluj County, Romania*Cluj-Napoca International Airport*U Cluj, a Romanian sports club*U Cluj, a Romanian football club*CFR Cluj, a Romanian football club...
, Romania (2008). - His group also oversaw the Eco-Shelter on The Trust For Urban Ecology site in Stave Hill Park, Bermondsey, London, 1992. In association with the Prince's Trust