Gardens of Hungaria Bath
name of work: Gardens of Hungaria Bath
location: Budapest
year of design/realization: 2009/2010
area: 700 m2 + 200 m2 roof gardens
landscape architects: Árpád Kovács, Katalin Lukács, Dorottya Thurnay, Dominika Tihanyi, UILA Kft.
architects: Petúr Stúdió - Péter Hegedűs, Nirmana - Péter Vékony
lighting: Medence csoport Bt. - Tóbiás Terebessy
The landscape design of the shady inner gardens of the former bath now a luxurious hotel recalls clearings of a forest, where one can indulge in free time within ‘natural’ surroundings. In the evening the gardens turn into a magical place, when miscellaneous formations lit in purple appear as creatures of the forest.
In the midst of the garden stands the fabled tree that sprouts in offspring throughout the inner gardens. The fairy tale effect of the garden is intensified by the purple lights spotting the garden in different heights – seemingly like fireflies. In the garden there is no prefabricated seating or light element. All design elements derive from and are constituted upon the concept of the gardens, hence are organic parts of the gardens.
The unique lighting elements were developed and manufactured in close working together with artist group Medence Csoport. In this sense the connection made to Art Nouveau, the time when the original building was erected, lies in recalling the thinking of the time: intervening art and landscape architecture to create a unique unity. On the roof garden homogenous ornamental grass creates the foreground to the rooftops of Pest.
