Location: Pácin, Hungary
Client: Municipality of Pácin
Area: 450 m²
Year: 2022
Originally surrounded by a moat and a wall, the building with two corner bastions is an important monument of the “Floral Renaissance” of the late 16th century, a proof that such buildings with parapet were not only built in the Highlands and Transylvania, but were also more common. Although the patronage disappeared at the end of the 17th century, its remains are still visible today in the frieze of the blind-arched towers, with their varied and cheerful patterns. In the middle of the 19th century, the towers underwent a major rebuilding and a strong romanticisation: the windows were enlarged, and they were fitted with shutters, corner balconies were added (partly for static purposes), and the south perimeter wall was demolished, opening up the view of the garden.
The first major restoration work began in 1964, initially only on the facade. Restoration work was carried out at this time, and the facade was repainted with the corner mouldings and quatrefoils still visible today.
A little over ten years later, between 1977 and 1987, the building underwent a complete and very professional reconstruction, when, on the basis of extensive research, the 16th century form was restored, both inside and out.
Our office was commissioned to renovate the roof and facade in 2022. The facade only needed minor repairs; the colours and details were left as they were (re)found on the ’87 renovation.
There was a little more work to do on the roof. Several geometric and structural defects were found. The most striking were the two small, low-pitched metal sheeting at the junction of the two corner towers and the large roof, which required a complete rethink. The entire carpentry structure was subjected to a thorough timber protection and structural analysis, and a number of elements were reinforced or replaced on this basis.
The cladding has also been renewed with natural beaver-tail tiles. This has a scale-like appearance, which on the one hand evokes the presumed original wood shingles, and on the other hand the small segmental surfaces on the towers are very nicely traced by the smaller, special roof tiles.
“The renovation of a listed building requires a particularly high level of humility. With an existing building, the design is done centuries in advance, and the new designer is left with the task of careful repair, conservation and additions.
This care is reflected in the renovation of the Mágóchy-Alaghy-Sennyei castle in Pácin by Konkrét Studió. The Renaissance building of medieval origin is located near the Slovakian border. It was built between 1533 and 1556 and took on its present appearance during a complete reconstruction in 1987. The rectangular castle building, situated on a small sand hill, has a mansard roof with hexagonal towers in the southern corners.
The new design team has embarked on a long, multi-stakeholder design process, inheriting the modifications and improvements of its predecessors. Opportunities were also complicated by limited resources. They concentrated on the most important parts – keeping the roof and plinth free of water, which is vital for the longevity of an old building. Before tackling the technical tasks, the designers walked around the building’s life cycle, picking up additions and changes that had been added over time. This in-depth knowledge can be felt in the renovations, which are confined to a small area. The replacement of structures is limited to the most essential elements, and the original materials have been preserved wherever possible. In the design, the rafters were examined to see what should remain and what could not be saved. Despite the abundance of source material, the original roof sheathing is only conjectural, perhaps shingles. Hence the choice of natural beaver-tail roof tiles, which evoke the scaly appearance of wood shingles and provide a reliable quality of cover.
The facade was based on the principles of a correct monumental presentation and restoration carried out in 1977-78. The current intervention was not overhauled, but was in fact limited to the most critical parts, restricting the interventions to square metres. Substantial demolition was only carried out in the plinth phase, where the house was given a vapour-permeable, breathable plaster system. This minimalist intervention is reflected in the final result. An outside observer hardly notices that work has been carried out on the building, and the quality of the renovation continues the history of the house without being noticed.
The repairs necessary to preserve the building’s integrity were carefully planned by the Konkrét Studió team, with great professional attention. By limiting the interventions to what was necessary, but concentrating on the highest quality materials and workmanship, a valuable result was achieved. Their work shows the humility that is essential in the restoration of a monument. The house has not been substantially altered, just given new boots and hats, providing protection for many decades to come.”
(Miklós Oroszlány’s tribute at the Creaton Awards)
| architecture: | Csaba Balogh, Ágnes Deigner, Péter Sónicz, Levente Sirokai |
| Ádám Csallai, Orsolya Tatár-Gönczi, Ági Vértesy | |
| structural engineering: | Egon Baratta | Baratta Építész Mérnök Iroda Kft. |
| electrical engineering: | Judit Balázs | Artvill Kft. |
| photography: | Zsolt Hlinka |
| awards: | 2024 | Creaton: Tradíció és Innováció – Tető az építészetben |