The beautifully renovated Parisi Udvar opened its doors to the public in June 2019 after almost five years of renovation. Parisian Arcade (Párisi udvar) located at Sándor Petőfi Str. 2 is one of the most impressive buildings in Budapest with its central location, rich history and fascinating architecture.
The full-scale reconstruction was carried out according to strict historic preservation rules. It involved over 200 companies, including restoration specialists, architects, interior designers, structural designers, electrical and lighting designers and countless other disciplines.
The structural design of the reconstruction was made by the Hungarian structural design office Éki Terv Mérnökiroda Kft. After the demolition serious structural problems were revealed. Since this was one of the earliest reinforced concrete buildings in Budapest, the foundation was too unstable to meet the contemporary requirements. The engineers raised to the challenge of strenghtening the structure while keeping the original look of the building. EKI used Allplan for the drawings, and Scia Engineer and Frilo for calculations.
"Congratulations to our Hungarian colleagues on their incredible work. We are proud to be part of this project, said Gabor Takacs, Manager and owner of bfb Bauingenieure GmbH, Germany and Éki Terv Mérnökiroda Kft., Hungary.
History
In 1907 the Belváros Savings Bank acquired the property and organized a competition for the construction of its new headquarters. Construction was completed in 1913, one year after the death of the architect Henrik Schmahl. The building was called Brudern House after the earlier property on the site, which dated from 1817. Brudern House had an arcade inspired by the Passage des Panoramas in Paris.
Henrik Schmal created an unusual building in a mixture of Venetian, Gothic and Renaissance architectural styles, decorated with Art Nouveau and Oriental elements. The palatial exterior, clad with colourful Majolica tiles, was prodigially ornamented. The two 40-meter high main towers were richly decorated with neo-Gothic sculptures. The Parisian Court inside was even more impressive. The arcade, two levels high, had a vaulted roof made of colored glass and a striking hexagonal glass dome, designed by Miksa Róth. A variety of cast-iron and sculpted wooden ornaments adorned the arcade. Beautiful mosaic tiles covered the floors. During the renovation of the 1950s, the Central Saving Bank’s Art Nouveau styled interior gave way to modern, and simpler interior solutions.