Unger Residence

This rental building on Múzeum Boulevard is widely recognized by many. Some associate it with the iconic Könyvudvar bookstore or its unique wooden block-paved inner courtyard, while others know it as a passageway connecting Múzeum Boulevard with the parallel Magyar Street. Over the years, the building has housed a diverse range of businesses—shoe stores, pizzerias, pastry shops, escape rooms, tattoo salons, and even the first workshop of Limes, the renowned architectural model-making company. Despite its poor condition, the building’s rich architectural details hint at an intriguing past.

Built in the early 1850s as a real estate investment by the Unger family – who had industrial roots – the house was designed by Miklós Ybl. The irregular T-shaped plot posed a design challenge, but the result was an innovative courtyard layout that did not require the usual hanging corridors. The building has two street-facing façades: an ornate one along Múzeum Boulevard and a simpler one on Magyar Street. Old carriage entrances from both streets lead to the narrow inner courtyard. The two street-facing sections each have their own staircase, from which apartments open through Renaissance-style glazed arcades. As one of Ybl’s early works, the building is notable for its romantic charm and unconventional floor plan.

Our renovation plan preserves the palace-like structure while incorporating a new two-story attic level. Our studio envisions a solution where the new elements blend with the protected building in a uniquely delicate and airy manner. The roof extension follows the original roof’s slope and form. On the street-facing side, the lower level of the two-story attic is set back from the cornice, while the upper level opens toward the inner courtyard. This approach ensures that the street view remains unchanged.