The history of the construction of the complex of buildings of the Hungarian National Bank began with a competition that was held in Budapest in 1900. Out of eight projects, a jury consisting of two English and two Austrian architects unanimously chose the concept of the famous Hungarian architect Ignaz Alpar. His project was a variation on Austrian Art Nouveau that had a notable influence on 20th century architecture. Since 1976, this building has been under the protection of UNESCO.
A little over a century passed, and in 2003 Budapest again hosted a competition for the Hungarian National Bank (MNB). This time it was about the construction of a new building in which banknotes and coins were to be printed. The building integrates office space, a stamping workshop and a general money logistics department in Hungary.
Therefore, on the one hand, it had to meet particularly high safety requirements, and on the other, it had to be distinguished by an expressive, memorable architecture that would fit into the context of the development projected in this area, consisting of modern representative office buildings. The winner was the project of the Hungarian architect Marton Tsabo, who was able to organically fit the building into the context so that it did not lose its exclusivity.
The elongated building of the complex with an entrance protruding forward is associated with an impregnable fortress, but only a modern one.
From the very beginning, the architect chose brick as the material for the bank's facades, which is not only extremely aesthetic, but also easy to use.
Investors were bribed by the ease of maintenance of the brick building - it does not need to be regularly painted, plastered, renovated … At the same time, it was not economic aspects that played a significant role, but reliability, since only some trusted and reputable companies are allowed access to the bank's territory. Painters who would have to regularly take care of the proper condition of, for example, a stucco facade, could pose a potential threat to the security of the institution. Therefore, it was decided to use clinker bricks not only for exterior, but also for interior decoration.
Unfortunately, the architect had a bad experience with the material of an unscrupulous brick manufacturer in a previous project. This time a mistake was ruled out - the customer needed to guarantee the high quality and durability of the brick. The choice fell on a smooth blue-red fiery speckled clinker. In it, impeccable technical characteristics are complemented by a spectacular design and unusual colors. The surface of this clinker with a metallic sheen is ideally matched to the light-shielding aluminum slats and window sashes.
The large vertical and horizontal division of the glazing contrasts with the frequent rhythm of the clinker masonry. At the same time, the glass planes sparkling in the sun are contrasted with the textured surface of the brick wall.
And inside the building, rather dark clinker, due to its smooth surface, reflects light and gives the interior an airiness and a feeling of cool freshness.
Brick collections with color schemes for the project: Chatham facing bricks.
Text and photos are provided by the Kirill company.
