Paris Department Store

The Paris Department Store is the first building in Hungary built exclusively for warehouse function. It uses a sophisticated reinforced concrete-skeleton structure qualifying it as a national monument. The department store was built in 1909-11 in the style of industrial art-nouveau on the site of a former neo-renaissance Casino building. The architect integrated the prestigious ballroom of the Casino into the new department store thus creating an exciting blend of historical styles. In the 60s the building has undergone a major refurbishment. It operated as a famous department store typical of the socialist era until 1991 when it was vacated.

The department store has been converted into a multifunctional building. Retail areas are housed on the ground floor, the first floor and the Lotz-hall (the ballroom). New escalators and elevators serve the retail floors. The formerly dark and narrow areas are turned into large, elegant uninterrupted spaces as at their original state. The intermediate floors are transformed into high-class open space offices.
An exclusive business club is located on the top floor served by a restaurant that is placed in a unique steel-glass crystal-like shell structure extending the usable areas of the most valuable spaces of the building. The refurbished roof terrace offers superb views over the city.

The architectural language of the refurbishment is conceived from the blend of the neo-renaissance and industrial art-nouveau. Forms and details are reinterpretations of the historical building thus creating a new, exciting relation between the historical and the contemporary elements. Fragmented lines and small, repetitive, geometrical decorative painting and ornaments are used to create the contemporary language. The use of these principals as tools when shaping all new architectural elements results in exciting, decorative, rich surfaces and spaces.

The aim during the design of the refurbishment was to restore the original space concept of the building, to bring back the original values as much as possible considering both monumental aspects and the needs of the future users, whilst adding contemporary elements that correspond with the historical style of the building providing it freshness and boldness.

Paris Department Store, Budapest, Hungary
heritage refurbishment and reconstruction - concept design, planning application, tender design and documentation, execution design, workshop drawings, graphic design, publications
built

position: architect

design: 2006-2008
gross floor area: 9 000 sqm
architecture: Tiba Architects Studio
Tiba János, Gerle Ákos, Kiss Ida - Beszeda Zoltán, Bozsik Zoltán, Matúz Melinda
graphic design: Tiba Architects Studio
Tiba János, Matúz Melinda, Pintér Anita
developer: ORCO Property Group
photo: Bujnovszky Tamás