As in many other countries of the former Eastern Bloc, it is difficult for Western architects to work in Hungary: the complexity of the legislation and the well-coordinated opposition of the local architectural elite make this almost impossible. But the situation seems to have changed lately. Erik van Egeraat became the "first sign", according to whose project in 2004 the international concern ING erected an office complex in the center of Budapest. But the next project of the same company - a bold reconstruction of the building of the socialist period on Voroshmarty Square, designed by the Frenchman Jean Paul Viguier, was rejected in favor of the version of the Hungarian architect G. Fazhakas. For the most recent ING plan for Budapest, only a local architect was chosen. As a result, the project was entrusted to the honored architect J. Finte, who is at the same time the author of the project and the building that will be demolished to make way for a new building.
Later, Daniel Libeskind was offered to reconstruct the synagogue on Kazhinzhi Street, but it never came to an official order. At the same time, the example of Bilbao - or at least neighboring Prague, where Frank Gehry's "Ginger and Fred" house immediately became a landmark of the first magnitude, seemed too attractive in Budapest to miss such an opportunity to increase income through tourism.
Orco Property Group decided to start off strong by hiring Zaha Hadid to design a new office building in Servita Square, on the site of a socialist garage. And while its several glass tower variants have not won the hearts of customers, Budapest residents can hope for Hani Rashid (also working for Orco Property Group), whose project for a banking center for the northern part of Pest, on the very bank of the Danube, can still be realized.
