Reconciling periods – A contemporary glass roof in a heritage building
Bánáti + Hartvig Architect·Budapest, Hungary
Reconciling periods – A contemporary glass roof in a heritage building
- Year
- 2023
- Category
- Details · Architecture +Glass
- Status
- Built
- Location
- Budapest, Hungary
One of Budapest’s emblematic buildings, the 19th-century Drechsler Palace designed by Ödön Lechner, stood unused for almost twenty years. The structure was reconstructed as a heritage building over recent years and became part of the W hotel chain. An impressive courtyard with ornate façades is at the heart of the hotel’s circulation. This was given a delicate veil-like glass roof, protecting it from the elements and making it intimate and human-scale. The glass roof’s architectural design was challenging, as finding a place where the roof would respect the internal façades without disturbing their architectural merits was complicated.
One of Budapest’s emblematic buildings, the 19th-century Drechsler Palace designed by Ödön Lechner, stood unused for almost twenty years. The structure was reconstructed as a heritage building over recent years and became part of the W hotel chain. An impressive courtyard with ornate façades is at the heart of the hotel’s circulation. This was given a delicate veil-like glass roof, protecting it from the elements and making it intimate and human-scale. The glass roof’s architectural design was challenging, as finding a place where the roof would respect the internal façades without disturbing their architectural merits was complicated.