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Cultural centre, Siófok

Cultural centre

SIÓFOK (HU) - Siófok, situated by Lake Balaton, is mainly known as an affordable holiday destination, not as a cultural Mecca. But that's going to change, if it's up to the 320fok Contemporary Cultural Centre. This year the centre organized an international architectural competition for the complete renovation of their home, a former bread factory complex. On 04 August 2010, the winner was announced: Hungarian office Tarnóczky Tamás Attila.

The assignment 320fok have set out is brave, not to say over-ambitious. 'The primary aim behind the environmental reconstruction is to build an iconic cultural establishment that could be the key feature element of the image of Siófok,' states the press release. It continues with a review of the winning design as 'an emblematic building not (only) in terms of the city of Siófok or the region, but further on a national basis.'

So is this going to be yet another 'Bilbao'? Looking at Tarnóczky Tamás Attila's design, the conclusion would have to be 'no'. Luckily. The design will probably attract a lot of attention, but it is certainly not loud. Despite its large scale (12,500 square metres), the complex looks well proportioned and endeavours to obtain a human scale. The request for a multifunctional, transformable exhibition centre is answered with different types of spaces. This is also reflected in the different facade compositions.

Plans for construction are as ambitious as the commission itself; the first phase of the renovation (6500 m², plus parking space) is to be delivered by the end of 2012. The second phase should be finished by the end of the decade.