Postapalota,
Budapest, Hungary

Designer Gyula Sandy and Tihamer Szalay - MD Studio

Interior architects Sarolta Bihary, Anett Ficzere, Tibor Somlai, Tihamer Szalay

Light planner Peter Tarjanyi

Distributed by Solinfo

Project management Peter Tarjanyi

Photos Tamas Bujnovszk

In Budapest, everyone knows the Postapalota (Post Palace). But few people know what is hidden behind the magnificent building with the red brick walls today. The reconstruction of the new attraction is the work of architect Tihamér Szalay, who has been a fan of Gyula Sándy for several decades. The palace, originally designed in 1924, was built to house the headquarters of the Royal Hungarian Post Office. Today it is owned by the National Bank of Hungary and houses the supervision of financial organisations, consumer protection and a publicly accessible visitor centre.

Rebirth

on 18,500 SQM

The lower half of the north wing of the seven-storey office building houses the Finance Museum and the visitor centre. The tower, one of the building's landmarks, will be open to the public as a lookout point, and a glass lift will take visitors to the top. The interactive presentation of economic processes and concepts is designed to promote understanding among visitors. The former huge chimney has disappeared, but at the same time it has been covered by a glass roof on a golden metal beam in the middle, so that natural light can no longer only enter at the edges. Golden elements in the building, in the interior design, including the luminaires, attract attention. The colour gold is emphasised not least because the corporate colours of the Hungarian National Bank are gold, white and blue.