An award-winning building three times over

• 2022: Construction Industry Excellence Award

– Irányi Palace Irányi Palace won an Excellence Award in the public building/office category!

The main criteria for evaluation were:
Overall architectural and technical evaluation of the structure
Technical and technological level of execution, professionalism
Economic viability and operability of the investment
Collaboration among those involved in creating the facility, particularly investors, designers, and contractors.

• In the category “Office Building of the Year”, the Irányi Palace, designed by EBH INVEST, was the winner!
• It also received an award in the monument category as part of the “Facade of the Year 2021” competition!

Project Description

The renovation and construction work on the building located at 17 Irányi Street, District V, began in October 2018 and was completed in May 2021. The renovated building reopened as Irányi Palace, serving as an office building.

• Basement: Collaborative space and game room designed as a venue for office events, after-parties, and intimate workshops.
• Ground floor and upper floors: Impressive atrium, elegant reception, modern meeting room, dining area, event hall, inspiring café, soundproof room, screening room, gallery and exhibition space, campus bench seating area, as well as tea kitchens, terraces, balconies, meeting rooms, and a courtyard were created.

Our fundamental objective was to preserve the unique classical features of the 120-year-old building while incorporating materials and technologies suitable for 21st-century operations. The work involved not only reconstruction but also development: new levels and elevator shafts were built. The modern additions, glass railings, and the design of the suspended walkways create a subtle eclectic blend with the original architectural elements.

Originally, the building’s interior courtyard was partially covered up to the height of the first floor, with glass domes piercing through the levels of the mezzanine and ground floor. Over the course of the past century, the glass domes were removed, replaced with glass bricks, and eventually the courtyard was concreted over. Now, using contemporary techniques, we have restored this unique architectural feature of the building by adding a walkable glass roof.

Undoubtedly, one of the most iconic parts of the building is the ballroom, which now serves as a multifunctional space. The space, primarily presented in its classical splendor, was perhaps one of the most deteriorated areas of the building, with the ceiling leaking for years, making its restoration a significant undertaking. Approximately one-third of the ceiling and sidewall decorations had perished, and restoration experts worked on the remaining parts and protected elements of the building. In addition to restoration, substantial reconstruction was also necessary.

The design concept of Irányi Palace consciously juxtaposes classic and modern elements. This is particularly evident in significant portions of the interior, where the ceiling character and occasionally the reconstructed structural elements showcase this rustic quality. The steel beam structures with dusty glass vaulted ceilings, in most places, were made visible instead of being concealed, thereby representing not only the original condition of the building but also the construction process.

Within the complex, there are various spaces such as a ballroom, breakout and collaborative areas, a café, a demonstration kitchen, a game room, a soundproof room, a screening room, a workshop room, tea kitchens, conference rooms and event halls, lounges, a courtyard, terraces, balconies, meeting rooms, a campus bench seating area, a gallery, and an exhibition space.

The building, starting a new chapter in its life, has become not only a mediator of architectural and aesthetic values but also the home of an international company. It may even be recognized by a global audience as a future filming location. Irányi Palace blends office and home office use, with traditional office spaces giving way to communal areas.

Together with Adolf Láng, he designed the former Hungarian Theater in Budapest (which is now the National Theater in a completely rebuilt form), the theater in Pécs, the Palace of Culture in Szeged, a city bath and several apartment buildings. In addition, he received many private orders, but only a part of them is known today. He is listed as a master builder on several plans, i.e. he probably performed the construction tasks as well.

He graduated in Vienna and worked in Ferstel’s studio. From 1870 he worked in Pest, where he was head of the Sugárút Építő Vállalat. In Budapest he built several apartment houses and public buildings (the old Zeneakadémia, the old Műcsarnok , etc.). His other works include the former Hungarian Theatre (1897), the Pécs Theatre (1893-95) and Town Hall (1907), and the theatre in Kassa (1899). His works are in the historicist neo-renaissance and neo-baroque style.

The owner of the interior design images is Optinvest Zrt.