Hatvany-Lónyay Villa Reconstruction Project by BORD Architectural Studio

Villa Lónyay-Hatvany is an amazing architectural project, originally designed by Miklós Ybl, a famous Hungarian architect. The project sits atop of the most spectacular plot of Buda Castle Hill and has been completely rebuilt. 

About BORD Architectural Studio

BORD Architectural Studio was founded in 2006, aimed at creating durable, inspiring spaces. With Budapest headquarters, and offices in Debrecen and Zurich. BORD is a full architectural services office, working on many scales. By focusing on eco-friendly and sustainable design, the studio has landscape architects and mechanical engineers as part of the team. As a result, they provide a full design and engineering support for their projects, starting with the concept up to the construction phase. 

BORD Architectural Studio Team, photo source: bordstudio.hu 

The essential about Hatvany-Lónyay Villa? 

After the Hatvany-Lónyay era, the building was used as a casino, only to be completely demolished in a bombing. This building has a strong background and extraordinary culture, but it also houses archaeological artifacts, which makes it one of the most interesting architectural challenges. 

The building façade displays an apparent crust. Thanks to the mobile panels of facade, the walls can open up to the Danube panorama. 

Hatvany-Lónyay Villa by BORD Architectural Studio, photo source: origo.hu  

The building sits on the slopes of Buda Castle, right on the corner of Kirély Lépcső and Hunyadi János Street and dates back to the 12th century. Centuries ago, this place is scattered with craftsmen's houses, then the Turks built the Golden Bastion, associated with a defense line linking the Danube to the castle. This bastion formed the basis of the three-story family residence of the first count. The architect Miklós Ybl designed Lónyay in the classicist style. 

During World War II, the building was completely destroyed. At the time of reconstruction by Bord Architectural Studio, the remaining ruins were completely cleared and the site was empty for 50 years. 

Hatvany-Lónyay Villa Reconstruction 

In 1996, the site was purchased by a company, with the target of establishing a world-class cultural and gastronomic center. The municipality's local regulations required that the new building complies with the original classical villa design. The next stage archaeological exploration, so the project was structurally completed in 2006.  

The building has a reinforced concrete pillar frame structure which offers plenty of solutions for further planning. A limestone cladding has been used for the façade, similar with the original architecture. According to the architectural concept, the classical facade was to appear only as a kind of vision of the building. This thought brought out the present image of the villa. 

Hatvany-Lónyay Villa Interior, by BORD Architectural Studio, photo source: bordstudio.hu 

BORD Architectural Studio used 48 electronically controlled reinforced concrete panels, 55 cm wide, 8 cm thick supporting the building's stone roof structure that can open the facade to the panoramic view at the push of a button. 

What about BORD’s perspective on the building? 

The current design maintains the volume and structure of the interior space from the original Hatvany-Lónyay Villa. The main entrance remains Hunyadi János Street, by way of the arched bridge over the alley connecting Csónak Street and Király Lépcső. This is the last floor of the building with representative purposes, and its high interior ceiling. Below this, you will find offices, and a restaurant below it. Next to the building there is a garden with a rose gazebo embracing a fountain. One of the most fascinating locations in the garden is the panoramic terrace. 

An added effect is the atmosphere of the sloping below ground level area that served the original terraced arrangement of the building. Due to archaeological excavations in the garden, the original role of the wall is completely lost. The view of the monumental, free-standing wall is fascinating. This is why the three-story basement under the rose tree is in front of it with a glass facade from top to bottom. The fairytale atmosphere is further enhanced by the water surface reflections between the two volumes.  

Hatvany-Lónyay Villa was reconstructed after being demolished in a WW2 bombing raid, photo source: PIATRAONLINE 

The Golden Bastion walls are partially under the villa control, and connect directly to the retaining wall. This is the so-called "Bastion Lounge" which will exert a concert hall function, besides exhibition hall and a ruin garden displaying excavated parts of the medieval wall.