Free-formed space with a biophilic approach – the concept of Jedlik Ányos High School in Csepel creates a living urban space in the school's new lobby. The construction of the new campus not only renewed the old school building, but also added a spacious new wing with a visionary architectural design.
In 1945, the first tuition-free, co-educational secondary school in Hungary was established in Csepel, uniquely on the initiative of parents. The school was built in 1952 in a style typical of the socialist era. By the end of the 2010s, the school had outgrown the available building. There was no spacious lobby to host events and school celebrations, and there was also a lack of modern computer and language laboratories.
In addition to the functional architectural programme, the harmonious relationship between man, building and nature was included among the key design objectives. This is particularly visible in the lobby. The flowing space of the lobby creates a futuristic world, covered by a curved shell structure with a huge skylight. It provides space for the whole school during ceremonies and events, but it is also the central space for everyday life. Large, organically shaped pieces of furniture divide the space, provide indoor planting pots to create a grove-like. Along with the large wooden chandelier, the plants bring the materials and textures of nature into the interior. An intimate chapel is the heart of the building, embodying silence and tranquillity in an otherwise dynamic community area.
The sports hall, an additional fitness room and well-being facilities are located on the Northern side, within easy reach, yet separated from the lobby. On the Southern side, towards the suburban neighbourhood, the contour of the two-storey high mass is divided, the educational wings with smaller widths and green spaces between them do not impose on the street.
In the new concept, the main entrance of the building opens onto the side street, providing a near-central arrival point for the expanded complex. The new extension is attached to the central axis of the old school building. The large hall connects to smaller chill areas and meeting places, with distinctive colour schemes and mobile seating.
From an interior design point of view, the educational wings are also of particular importance. Beside the classrooms, storages and community spaces are needed that induce interactions. The preservation and relocation of an old mosaic, which had been created as a collective artwork of students and teachers decades earlier, was also an important task during the reconstruction.
Similarly, the IT and language rooms as well as the library have been given a characteristic colour scheme. The latter open from the gallery on the first floor, while the ground floor houses an auditorium and dining area. The design of a building of this size is a complex process involving many participants, with every step and every detail having a common goal: to create the best possible quality, healthy and safe environment for the future users.