The Hungária Ring Road of Budapest

In 1872, the Metropolitan Public Works Council decided on three rings for the capital of Budapest: the inner ring (Small Boulevard), the outer ring (Great Boulevard) and the suburban ring. Completing the Great Boulevard – including the two bridges connecting the Pest side with Buda – took about 20 years. In contrast, the suburban ring […]

The Method of Contrast and Its Decline after 1968

In the 1960s, Czech architects and preservationists promoted the view that new buildings in historic settings should be “contemporary” and should be designed in a contrasting manner. This belief implied that their authors had to find new methods of engagement with their context, avoid the approaches of neutral “preservationist architecture” and employ the formal methods […]