Díjnyertes Pécsi Vásárcsarnok

The new market hall in Pécs, which was selected as a finalist in the public building category among the most prestigious tenders, won the Life Challenge 2024 professional prize. Designed by Tamás Getto DLA and Gergely Sztranyák DLA – GETTOPLAN Bt. The international jury praised the building that won the main prize as follows: "Giant white surfaces, the special spatial effect of long walls and a large-scale glass wall determine the cladding of the new fair hall. Together, they create an almost archetypal spatial arrangement, resulting in a simple yet sophisticated structure. The hall offers a timeless environment for relaxation or shopping."

The supporting structure of the building is also the basis of the atmosphere of the interior. Additional installation layers are limited to the most necessary elements, often in a visible way. The building shows the influence of the Roman basilica, which was originally a place of commerce and legislation, and also shows the image and atmosphere of an oriental bazaar. The high hall space was constructed from monolithic reinforced concrete arch supports, and to evoke the space of the low bazaar, the prefabricated reinforced concrete structural systems of today's commercial spaces were used, with spot skylights. Thanks to the reinforced concrete, the structure of the arched hall was made up of slender elements, so the space and space coverage could be as light as desired. The most radical abstraction of the basilical archetype is the glass surface running along the entire length of one side of the hall. In this way, the longitudinal section of the square is revealed to the visitor coming to the fairground, and from the inside, a visual connection is established not only with the fairground, but also with the city and even the Mecsek Mountains.

The new hall is located on the southern border of downtown Pécs, in a certain sense the city's gate. Pécs was the provincial seat of the Roman Empire under the name Sopianae. As the most Mediterranean Hungarian city, it is also associated with Italian architecture. The cathedral was rebuilt in the neo-Romanesque style in the 19th century, while the modern architectural works of the early 20th century also reflect some Italian influence in addition to the Bauhaus. All these influences and the architectural trend of the beginning of the 21st century, the demand for clarity, also influenced the architects of the fair. The result is a fusion of the urban situation, cultural and historical layers and sustainability.

The respect and integrity of the tradition of architectural culture is also related to sustainability, which was a consideration throughout the entire project, both from an architectural and social perspective. One of the important intentions was that the former market hall should preferably not be completely demolished, thus reducing the use of materials and the amount of waste. This is complemented by the architectural credo that new buildings can quickly enter the path of depreciation and demolition if they cannot integrate into society. When designing the building's interior, the architects responded to this short life cycle problem by making the interior look familiar to local residents, as opposed to a radically modern solution.