Simplon

Function: housing
Typology: new
Year of completion: 2009
Area: 6638 m²

The building is located in the central southern part of Buda, within the Hungarian capital. Its rounded corner is a deliberate gesture referencing the architecture of the 1930s, while the rhythmic composition of the façade volumes echoes the modern apartment buildings of the surrounding area, many of which were constructed in the 1960s. In this way, the project establishes a close relationship with the modern architectural heritage of its context. The building was conceived as a continuously changing structure, highly responsive to daily cycles and the patterns of everyday use.

All apartments feature large, open façades and a well-utilized covered terrace (loggia). The generous façade openings are shaded by aluminium louvers which, in addition to providing sun protection, allow daylight to penetrate the interiors and function as an effective, personalized visual filter. The colour of the lamellas corresponds to the colour assigned to each individual apartment; when all louvers are lowered, the building resembles a box constructed from coloured Lego cubes.

Coloured glass is the primary material of the external façade. Yellow, orange, red, green, dark green, blue, turquoise, and dark blue are used as unmixed, vivid colours. Each façade colour is assigned to a specific apartment and is repeated on its entrance door, creating a clear visual identity and allowing for intuitive orientation and easy identification of each unit.

The apartments are accessed via two vertical circulation cores located at the breakpoints of the U-shaped building. From these staircases, open side corridors lead to the apartments. This layout enables natural cross-ventilation of the units and encourages informal social interaction, recalling the traditional corridor as a place for neighbourly encounters. The open corridors overlook the diverse internal garden and the lush green wall.

The internal garden is also made visible to external observers. The southern wings are elevated on V-shaped supports, creating a semi-covered public space through which the building establishes a direct connection with the city. The ground floor accommodates services, retail units, a pharmacy, and a café. On the uppermost level, set among roof gardens, five distinctive penthouse apartments are housed within four separate white pavilions, enclosed entirely by glass walls.

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Black Magic