[Budapest] Gödör klub / Erzsébet tér

[dhaa]

Architect: Koppány Bánfalvy, István Bikki - Firka Építész Stúdió

built in 2002

A pleasant place which is a result of weird political decisions combined with enthusiasm of people who just wanted to make some creative use of the consequences of those decisions.

In Hungarian, 'Gödör' stands for 'a pit' or 'a hole'. In 1996 it was decided to build the National Theatre right on Erzsébet square. There was a standard competition, the winner was awarded a contract, the plans were drawn and the construction started. But it was in 1998 when the FIDESZ party (the conservatives) came to power and the construction was stopped when the pit for the foundations had already been excavated. The National Theatre was eventually built far away from the center at the southern outskirts of Budapest as the first part of some kind of a city of art and culture.
Another competition was held in 2000 to decide what to do with the remaining hole on Erzsébet square. The winning team, Firka Építész Stúdió decided to keep a smaller cultural institution under the ground and to cover the hole with a park. In 2002 the rough structure was finished as well as the park, but then the construction was stopped for lack of finances and another political rows. Until 2005 the place had been used to host concerts and parties in the unfinished buildings. Then it was eventually finished up to the state we can see now, but I'm still unsure whether it's everything from the planned layout.

I don't guarantee the correctness of all this info as it is generally based on what my friends told me plus this article (http://www.budapesttimes.hu/index.php?art=594), which is probably the only available text in English on this topic.

Address: Erzsébet tér (the eastern half of the square)

Getting there: This is the absolute center of Budapest. The metro station Deák Ferenc Tér - the place where all the 3 metro lines meet is just accross the street from the club. Deák Ferenc Square is in fact adjacent to Erzsébet square.

Website: http://www.godorklub.hu/ in Hungarian only, but at least the program can be understood (I hope)

[dhaa]

the map

[dhaa]

It's really a hole. This photo taken from the street level as approaching from the metro station at Deák Ferenc Tér. The stairs leading to the entrance of the club serve also as an auditorium. There is also a pleasant restaurant/café downstairs.

[badja]

Very interesting space and story behind it, thanks for sharing:cool:

[dhaa]

The park is divided into four parts: First of them is the staircase-auditorium that gives access to the club, then comes this pool and the third part is an area with a group of trees that give shade to the people having a rest (out of the view now, it would be on my right hand and you can clearly see it in the previous image). The fourth part is the grass belt that stretches along all the other three.
All the parts have equivalent spaces underneath. The pool is above the entrance hall / gallery, the part with the trees covers the main space of the club and the lawn rests on the service parts and underground parking. The glass boxes are accesses to the garages and emergency exits.

[dhaa]

Another view from the shade of the trees. I spent an hour there drinking beer and watching people passing by and using the place. It´s really a nice place to hang around. And a lot of people do so.

There was the Cow parade those days in BUdapest so one of the cows came into my way here.

The materials used here for paving are very typical for Budapest - the white travertine (I hope it's travertine) can be seen on many buildings and squares throughout the city.

[dhaa]

wooden path crossing the lawn.
this is not that typical. and perhaps therefore the quality of work wasn't that good.

[dhaa]

here you can see the part with the trees behind the pool.

[dhaa]

this glass wall surrounds the part with the trees. It serves for 2 purposes. It protects the park from the noisy József Atilla street but in fact it is also a continuous lightwell that brings daylight down to the club.

the quality of the pics is shameful. I'm really sorry.:bang head

[dhaa]

Now let's move to the main part. You may have been asking why I actually post this as although the park itself is nice and pleasant it's nothing special at all.

So this detail can give us a clue. You can see the pool and through the door of the club some nice light inside...

[dhaa]

so let's step inside...

[dhaa]

I know that you guys are probably used to visiting various sorts of aquariums, oceanariums and delfinariums where you can experience this kind of effect on every step. but mind you, this is central Europe! No oceans, no dolphins. So instead of delfinariums we have clubs and galleries with water above our heads.

[dhaa]

As you can see, the dark parts in the back suggest that there's really still something unfinished in the place. But probably it's just because there was no exhibition held during my visit. And regrettably I couldn't enter the main part of the club because they were doing the sound checks for the evening concert. Through the half open door I could only see a for a moment that the other space, illuminated on its perimeter via the glass wall (as a contrary to this central illuminated space), has also some nice natural light effects to offer.

The whole place has something classical in it, the clear and regular division of spaces, the basic geometry. And yet, everything is so normal there - no strange shapes, no exhibitive forms, no extraordinary materials. That is probalbly what made me feel there so well and stay for a while. The upper part (the park) acts like a background for the activities of people. The underground part is a bonus. In fact I discovered it when looking for a toilet. And I will come back one day:)

[cacapis]

I alredy love the place! They did a great use of the space and light.
Thank you dhaa!

[takesh h]

It looks rather like a seriese of spaces, than architecture.
Which I think is really good.:cheers:
Love how spaces are interlaced with each other.
Do you have a shot inside of the club with that continuous top light?
How does that work?