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AMSY Head Office

The Budapest agglomeration area provides space for modern architecture not only on well-known frequented public places, but also the suburbs can witness the birth of innovative architecture.
In 2002 the young architects were requested to design a head office for AMSY. On the 2002 m2 site, the design was based on a deliberately simple and clean concept. The two storey building consists of two long blocks, these blocks have the same width, and are offset from each other in the opposite direction. The sole contrast to the otherwise straight and angled floor plan is the sloping wall of the short front side. This element emphasises the main entrance as well as the entrance of the workshop.
The opposite direction of the short walls on the differenent levels - as an architectural element has also created spacious covered outdoor spaces in front of both entrances.
The building is divided into two functional parts, the workshop and the offices.

The offices upstairs are used by senior managers of the company – as it is suggested by their prominent positioning above the main entrance, as well as the generous glazing.

The offset blocks were given different colour as well, which emphasizes the original concept of design. The light cream color on the street side creates a strong contrast to the deep red color of the backyard's part. The western side of the red mass slightly bites into the white block. This, and the repeating red surface of the street windows, and the white-grey doors on the red mass merge the different parts of the house into a well composed, organic emsambe.
On the front side the building features a sloping glass wall, a spacious glass foyer and well-formed windbreak panels which penetrate through the glass.
The eye catching canopy is the result of the functionally justified architectural „game with shapes”, the same was the driving agent behind the sloping glass of building, an last but not least the dynamics of the building have benefitted from this playful approach.
The same playful approach can be detected in the obliques lines of the glass wall on the floor plans which provides passive sun protection,too. Good idea was to install customized mobile wooden shading elements on the street facade, which is exposed to direct morning sunshine, and this way the room is prevented from overheating.

The fixed horisontal shadings of the street windows, and the overghanging canopy above the glass wall give rythm the front facade, just like the pop-leaning coloumn in front of the main entrance on the entrance facade.

The low construction cost impressively demonstrates that cost-effective desing, utilising buiding materilas of normal standards - even without particularly complex building construction shall not necessarily lead to monotonous or boring architecture.
This is a perfect example that an industrial building can be architecturally sophisticated without being forced. The confidence placed in the architect pays out for the comissioner, while the attractive building is promoting the company’s positive image as well.

Antje Baar

architect

Dresden

Photos by Istvan Oravecz

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