#Apartment house #Budapest #1937
Ferenc Domány, Béla Hofstätter
Marit körút 15-17, Mecset utca 1-3
1024
Budapest,
Hungary
Public transport: Margit híd, budai hídfő
Today's use: Apartments, shops
Description
The house is situated on a slope. The lower part is located on the main street Margit körút. The upper part is on Mecset utca. It was built one storey lower so that the two blocks of houses would be the same height. The round shapes, curves, ribbon windows and the staircase are magnificant details of this apartment house.The flat floors have one, two and three-room flats in each of the two blocks. The roof top floors are each equipped with a huge flat. Unfortunately, there is no mention of the construction method in any of the articles. Due to the size and the available capital and state subsidies, it can be assumed that this building was largely constructed from concrete.The exterior was clad with travertine on the ground floor, typical in Budapest, and sandstone on the upper floors.
Description
The house is situated on a slope. The lower part is located on the main street Margit körút. The upper part is on Mecset utca. It was built one storey lower so that the two blocks of houses would be the same height. The round shapes, curves, ribbon windows and the staircase are magnificant details of this apartment house.The flat floors have one, two and three-room flats in each of the two blocks. The roof top floors are each equipped with a huge flat. Unfortunately, there is no mention of the construction method in any of the articles. Due to the size and the available capital and state subsidies, it can be assumed that this building was largely constructed from concrete.The exterior was clad with travertine on the ground floor, typical in Budapest, and sandstone on the upper floors.
History
The official name A Weiss Manfréd Vállalatok Elismert Nyugdíjpénztára Bérháza. Thanks to tax relief, this house was built in 1937 and 1938. It replaced flat baroque buildings. Its location on a slope, the glass cylindrical lifts, that's why it is called Piston House, and the spectacular central stairways make it one of the most unusual examples of residential architecture.
The article on budapest100.hu about this house describes which influential person belonged to the first occupants of the house: "...Benő Aczél, who practised as a lawyer from 1919, but was already editor of the Esti Kurir when he moved into the house. He emigrated in 1939 and spent the rest of his life in America and Israel. During this period, he published several novels under the name of Bálint Both. The house was home to Kató Nándor, an industrialist, furniture designer and "apartment builder": his name appeared on the furnishings of many model homes of the period. The house was also the home of György Brinzey, whose wife was sculptor Éva Lőte, with whom they emigrated to Caracas in 1948. Before his move to America, László Vadnay, the author of several classic Hungarian films and theatre plays, and the creator of the Hacsek and Sajó couple, also lived in this house. An interesting connection is that the Weiss brothers had connections with the milling industry - Berthold was one of the founding shareholders of the Royal Steam Mill in Buda - and the house was also home to two of the mill's leading officials. Imre Hoffmann is listed as a representative of the King's Mill in contemporary directories, while Kálmán Donnenberg was an official of the rival Concordia. László Pólay, the head of the Hungarian Cotton Corporation, lived here. It is perhaps not surprising that Berthold Weiss also had a major interest in the textile industry: Károly Vágó, as managing director of the Grósz and Weisz hat factory in Óbuda, provided the Horthy family with hats and other textile products." Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Also the architect Béla Hofstätter lived here. He lived until his death in the big roof top apartment along Mecset utca.
History
The official name A Weiss Manfréd Vállalatok Elismert Nyugdíjpénztára Bérháza. Thanks to tax relief, this house was built in 1937 and 1938. It replaced flat baroque buildings. Its location on a slope, the glass cylindrical lifts, that's why it is called Piston House, and the spectacular central stairways make it one of the most unusual examples of residential architecture.
The article on budapest100.hu about this house describes which influential person belonged to the first occupants of the house: "...Benő Aczél, who practised as a lawyer from 1919, but was already editor of the Esti Kurir when he moved into the house. He emigrated in 1939 and spent the rest of his life in America and Israel. During this period, he published several novels under the name of Bálint Both. The house was home to Kató Nándor, an industrialist, furniture designer and "apartment builder": his name appeared on the furnishings of many model homes of the period. The house was also the home of György Brinzey, whose wife was sculptor Éva Lőte, with whom they emigrated to Caracas in 1948. Before his move to America, László Vadnay, the author of several classic Hungarian films and theatre plays, and the creator of the Hacsek and Sajó couple, also lived in this house. An interesting connection is that the Weiss brothers had connections with the milling industry - Berthold was one of the founding shareholders of the Royal Steam Mill in Buda - and the house was also home to two of the mill's leading officials. Imre Hoffmann is listed as a representative of the King's Mill in contemporary directories, while Kálmán Donnenberg was an official of the rival Concordia. László Pólay, the head of the Hungarian Cotton Corporation, lived here. It is perhaps not surprising that Berthold Weiss also had a major interest in the textile industry: Károly Vágó, as managing director of the Grósz and Weisz hat factory in Óbuda, provided the Horthy family with hats and other textile products." Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
Also the architect Béla Hofstätter lived here. He lived until his death in the big roof top apartment along Mecset utca.
Sources
