Renovation and Extension of the Sipeki Balás Villa

The project involves the renovation and extension of the Sipeki Balás Villa, designed by Hungarian architect Ödön Lechner between 1905 and 1907, with the addition of a new service building. The Hungarian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted inherited the property from the villa's original owner and has been using the house for nearly a century. The headquarters of the association is located in the villa, while the services are on the ground floor of the new extension, which also houses a 300-person event hall on the upper level.

The extension is gently connected to the villa by a subtle umbilical cord. A new artificial stone railing in front of the main façade provides tactile orientation for visually impaired visitors, leading to the extension via a barrier-free ramp. The extension is matching the villa by it's materiality, the coloured concrete basement and the transparent winter garden like upper glazing. The villa’s Art Nouveau style architecture was inspired by Hungarian folk art. We replaced missing architectural elements of the villa by playful contemporary elements, creating a dialogue with the historic architecture. Furniture was designed to meet the needs of visually impaired users, creating tactile contrasts that enhance their experience. The project emphasizes architectural tolerance toward heritage and people with disabilities. After the renovation, the visually impaired users appreciated how our additions brought the previously invisible architectural parts of the villa into their reach.

Our intention was that the additions and replacements to the villa be executed with a level of craftsmanship and attention to detail comparable to that of the original materials. We aimed to enrich the historical layering of the building with a new construction phase. Our goal was for the new architectural elements to reflect a richly detailed world made of authentic materials, continuing the tradition of craftsmanship. This represents a gesture of respect toward our predecessors and a commitment to forward-looking, contemporary design. A unique concrete mix was developed to continue the plinth of the villa and to create tactile, high-contrast surfaces for the visually impaired. The concrete mixed with basalt aggregate, the stamped, polished, and impregnated concrete surfaces, the sandblasted channel glass panels with custom patterns, and the tactile interior wooden panels produced through local innovation—all serve as examples of architectural solutions aspiring to artisanal quality.