Kismegyer, a suburb of Győr, announced an invitational competition in 2004. The winner was Zsolt Gunther and Katalin Csillag, but after considering the difficulties of the development, Father Ferenc Bartok suggested the building of the 2nd prize plan of Mihály Balázs and Katalin Somogyi-Soma.
- architects: Mihály BALÁZS, Katalin SOMOGYI-SOMA collaborating architects: Balázs TATÁR, Dávid TÖRÖK
- year of design/construction: 2004-2007/2008-201
- photography: © Tamás BUJNOVSZKY, © Tibor ZSITVA;
- → see the building on the map "hungarian architecture"!
The catholic church of Győr-Kismegyer is a simple hall church on a hill-slope. It has a nave-and-aisles structure and a gable roof; the west gable is of special interest. The site is in the row of suburb houses but the position of the church is pushed back from the street line. According to plan, the building-esemble will include a community house, the church, and an urn cemetery in the basement.
The distance of the pillars in front of the entrance is based on the Fibonacci sequence, it evokes the narthex of Christian basilicas. Entering the church, the view of the nave seems to be simple: one can catch it at one glance. However, the proportions, the directions and the rich significations of the walls create a complex overall effect. The unity of the building and the sensory aspect of the spatial experience are created with the use of simple architectural means such as material and structure.
The thick brick walls are covered with white plaster on the outside. This is to enter into conversation with the houses nearby. The walls stay naked in the interior; the bricks show their natural beauty there. Brick is used for its the natural qualities such as its long life span. Thanks to it, the huge, unrelieved walls are still not out of human scale; they speak about the relation between the parts and the whole; they are perceived as an ornament and together with the larch ridge-roof and the ceramic ceiling they recall archaic memories. (using Mihály Balázs's description)
translation: Norbert NAGY
Publications in English: internet:
- Győr-Kismegyer, result of the competition (in Hungarian) - in: Építészfórum, 2004. június 30.
- Competition plan of Balázs Mihály Balázs and Katalin Somogyi-Soma - in: építészfórum, 2004, június 30;
- Roman Catholic Church – Mies Arch nomination, 2013;
printed:
- Dominika Vámos: Service instead of Self-expression - in: Régú-Új Magyar Építőművészet, 2012/1, 18-21. o. - shortened online version here;
Data:
- client: Pannonhalma Archabbey
- scale: 608 m2
