Corvin 5 Office Building

The construction of Corvin quarter in Józsefváros has been one of the biggest urban development programmes in Budapest since the end of the socialist era and its significance can only match that of St Stephen’s Park created between the two world wars. The area stretching from Corvin Cinema as far as Szigony utca cuts a definite swath from the deteriorated buildings and replaces it with a completely renewed urban fabric where commercial, residential and office buildings are located. The planning area can be found at the end of this strip. The closing of the promenade is especially important: the design envisages an urban piazza for this purpose. Complementing the opposite building, the office building is placed perpendicular to the axis thus more space is created between the buildings. This space serves as a funnel for traffic, splitting it into smaller streams and connecting Szigony utca and the promenade while being a definite end point of the latter. The first version laid great stress on urban characteristics, with canopies and arcades contributing to the comfort and usability of public space. These elements were partly relinquished and more emphasis was given to spaces and recreational areas. In addition, the building is characterized by a prism-like, cascading mass that is also accentuated by its textured cladding.