Deák Palace is a former apartment building located on a pedestrian street opposite the Hotel Kempinski Corvinus in the city centre of Budapest. The commission was to transform the building into a flexible contemporary office building with retail on the ground and first floors. Together with reconstructing the destroyed street façade using period photographs, the design respects the existing 19th century Neo-Baroque building whilst also creating a new transparent and open appearance.
The building allows various office layouts including cellular and open plan around a glazed central atrium space. It maximises the space available on five existing and two new floors as well as a roof terrace at the attic level. The glazed atrium starts at the first floor and extends to the top of the building, creating a focus for the office spaces and bringing daylight down to the first floor. The extension is executed predominantly in clear glass, both to maximise the open character of the building and to create endless reflection on the glass screens of the atrium. During construction a medieval city wall was found in the basement thus adding another layer of history to this rejuvenated office building.
design/realisation 2003-2004
