PARSONAGE PARISH CHURCH OF THE CELESTIAL QUEEN

Located at the heart of the Hungarian capital, this former music school has been converted into a new home for the Parish Church of the Celestial Queen. The scheme involved a careful restoration of the dilapidated historical building, which now accommodates the traditional functions of the parsonage, such as the parson’s quarters, a classroom for religious education, the library, the banquet hall, and a visitor’s apartment. In addition, architects 4 plusz designed a new and decidedly modern structure that connects the two lateral wings of the existing U-shaped building and divides the garden space into two distinct courtyards. Fully glazed to either side, the transparent ground floor of the extension provides space for social events and opens a vista from the reception area to the rear garden. Lending a unified appearance to the new structure, the architects clad the pitched roof, both external walls, and a number of perforated shutters in Swisspearl panels, choosing a light color scheme in keeping with the white stucco of the existing building. The upper level of the new wing holds a more enclosed and intimate assembly room shrouded by punctured panel screens that can, in part, be opened. The extensive perforation pattern consists of numerous circular holes of varying diameter and mitigates the strict symmetry of the composition. Inspired by traditional Hungarian embroidery, the façade ornamentation evokes a sense of place and enhances the open and public nature of the new parsonage.

Architects:
4 plusz Epitesz Studio (Zoltan Berzsak), Budapest

GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Kharisz Kft., Veszprem
FAÇADE CONTRACTOR: Evolution Kft., Budapest