Design Erick van Egeraat has designed a new facade for a building from the 1970’s in the heart of Budapest. The building is located amidst a rich range of historical buildings, including the City Hall (originally built as a boarding house for invalids and war veterans in 1716, by Italian architect Fortunato de Prati), the former main post office (Neo Renaissance by Szalnitzky Antal and Koch Hendri, built between 1870 and 1873), the Rose Valley House (Late art Nouveau by Lajta Bela 1911-1912) to name a few. Most important the building neighbors the baroque Saint Anna church, built between 1725 and 1732, after a design by Hölbling John. In 1873 an eclectic main facade was designed by Joseph Diescher. During World War II both the church and the convent-apartment building suffered extensive damage. The church was restored, but the house next to was demolished. The construction of the building expansion was justified by the Post Office. The house was designed by Jeney Lajos és Bán Ferenc in 1971.

This late modernist building will be transformed into commercial spaces, a hotel and luxury apartments. This provides an opportunity to provide this structure with a design that is both contemporary, and more suitable to the context. For the street facades, Erick van Egeraat has proposed a facade with bay windows. These bay windows, while increasing the floor plates, offer diagonal views into the otherwise relatively narrow streets, and create n attractive relief volume. Materials include plaster and natural stone. For the courtyard facades Erick van Egeraat proposes a modest facade with stainless steel wire mesh and vegetation, adding quality to the courtyard public spaces. The resulting composition and materials reframes and relates to the baroque church very well.