Nagykálló Cultural Centre

Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Project idea

The site of Nagykálló in Hunagry has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Due to its favourable geographical location, Nagykálló gradually became the economic and commercial centre of the region. In 1747, the town's development came to a standstill due to the land lawsuit of the local noble family. The growing industry, commerce and bourgeoisie were not attracted by the town's precarious position and status. The emerging bourgeoisie preferred to move to the neighbouring town Nyíregyháza, and Nagykálló was not elevated to the status of town again until much later, in 1989. It is clear from the above that the town's favourable location and rich history could have brought a more progressive future, even development at county level. Development, once stalled, is now back on track, with more building work underway in the city. An important driver of this development is to halt the city's ageing population by making it attractive to young people. The cultural centre as a function includes all the intellectual activities that local young people currently do not have the opportunity to enjoy in the city since the cultural centre closed almost 10 years ago due to maintenance costs. My aim is to restore the building complex that brings the community together by reorganising the fabric of the town.

Project description

The chosen site is in a borderline situation in several respects. The site is located on the edge of the city centre, while at the back of the plot there are several hectares of untouched forest. Similarly, the site is also on the borderline between the tall buildings of the developing city centre and the incipient single-family zone. It is bordered on all four sides by a different type of development. This situation can be put in parallel with the intended use of the building, which must also involve a symbiosis of several different functions. This places the building in a mediating position, where it must not only bring order to itself, but also to its surroundings.

Another situation to be resolved is that the site is located between the main square (Kállay Square) and the bus station. A permanent link between the two should be provided, as well as a sense of arrival in the city. The main road coming from the central city Nyíregyháza takes a sudden turn just before the site, the momentum and the sight of the city rushing straight into the building of the cultural centre. The dynamics of the road make it impossible for visitors to enter the city centre without seeing the cultural centre.

The building consist of different functions necessary for a community centre such as:
-theatre with it's service rooms, below level that also functions as a cinema
- a cafe on the ground floor that extends aout next to the public space in front of the main facade following along with the curve of the main road and also predicting it
-open library on the first floor
-variable community space on the second floor

Technical information

Due to the size of the building, a slab foundation will be built to ensure even settlement. The superstructure is made of precast concrete walls on which the insulation is applied in the factory to speed up the construction. The bridges are built into the precast concrete folds using extra reinforcement. The wreaths are made of monolithic reinforced concrete. The building will have a flat roof with internal drainage. The slabs will be constructed with precast in-situ concrete foundation/formwork with monolithic reinforcement. The windows and doors will be of modern plastic design, with a curtain wall system where size and transparency require.

The auditorium of the sports hall, which also functions as an auditorium for the theatre and cinema, will have a sliding system with high quality seating. The movability of the seating system will allow the multifunctional use of the space. The same auditorium has large curtains that can be drawn on either side to provide shading. The common area on the top floor can also be divided into sections by thick partition curtains that provide some level of sound insulation. On this floor rentable offices and community rooms can also be found as well as toilets. On the side of the building with only permitted acces there are the mechanical and storage rooms. The library is located on the first floor, from where the whole lobby is visible, and the positioning of the room provides diffused light, perfect for storing books, restrooms also included on the floor. The projection room is in the middle of the first floor also. The ground floor has a lobby and a multifunctional hall. In the rear part of the building, there is a separate for the workers, and a storage room for the gardener of the centre opening to the outside. On the minus first floor you will find the cloakroom and the ground floor café storage room, easily accessible by lift in the public access building part. The part of the building closed to the public houses the actors' dressing rooms and other facilities. On the minus two level there is a split-level dance and rehearsal space with dressing rooms for theatre, dance schools and community music events.

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