Cultural Centre Badacsonytomaj

The design was created for the open architectural competition titled “Badacsony Cultural and Tourism Center 2021”, announced by the Department of Architecture of the Hungarian Academy of Arts. Badacsonytomaj is a popular destination thanks to its favorable location, the proximity of Badacsony, the Badacsony–Fonyód ferry route, the cycling path around Lake Balaton, and most importantly, its wine tourism. For this reason, the continuous development of the town, especially from a tourism perspective, is of outstanding importance.

The urban structure of Badacsonytomaj — including its streets, buildings, and plot divisions — is irregular and seemingly unorganized, much like the 6-hectare design site itself. However, within this apparent disorder, certain systems can still be observed, such as the ring-like urban structure formed around the hillside. Our concept development was based on this characteristic, highlighting three major zones: the hillside belt, the residential and holiday belt, and the lakeside belt. The project site lies at the boundary between the residential-holiday zone and the lakeside zone, close to the town’s primary arrival points, including the harbor, railway station, and the surrounding central area.

With the architectural concept, we aimed to integrate into the town’s irregular yet structured urban fabric. The amorphous shape of the site was divided into four sections. The first zone, located toward Római Road, primarily serves as the main pedestrian and cycling access point. Continuing the “widening” spatial gesture initiated by neighboring buildings, the bicycle resting area was intentionally positioned away from the street frontage. The building closely follows the retaining wall, while its roof slab aligns with street level, functioning as a terrace. This first zone directs attention toward Lake Balaton and guides visitors into the inner courtyard space enclosed by the buildings.

The second zone contains the primary functions of the complex, including the visitor center, event space, and projection hall. The three buildings are positioned loosely across the site, while the imaginary tangent circle connecting them defines an intimate inner space serving as the project’s central communal area. This space allows the indoor functions to naturally extend outdoors. The buildings are unified through the use of traditional materials and construction techniques, although their scale differs from the surrounding family houses. The façades are finished with plaster, while the roofs feature a shingle-like cladding. The interiors are also characterized by natural materials and a clean architectural appearance, with exposed timber roof structures emphasizing the use of wood.

The third zone is located along Muskotály Street, connecting Római Road and Highway 71, making it the primary arrival point for vehicles and public transportation. This area accommodates parking spaces for cars and buses serving the main functions, while also providing a new central station for Badacsony Taxi and the local BaBus transportation service. Relocating these functions would free up valuable areas within the town center for future urban development while simultaneously integrating the cultural and tourism center into Badacsony’s transportation network. Additionally, a bicycle rental and storage facility were also placed in this zone. The fourth zone contains a smaller recreational park.

The goal of the competition was to create an innovative and sustainable complex that meets contemporary expectations. For this reason, we chose to prioritize the adaptive reuse of the existing building and the careful integration of the new structures into the terrain. With the proposed buildings, we sought to reflect local architectural values while envisioning their realization through modern technologies.