DMT – Art colony in Debrecen

architect

Csaba Nyitrai

architectural consultant:
Péter Kovács DLA

During my project, I was dealing with an existing, dilapidated building to make it usable again. I came across the house for the first time during a train ride in Pest, and my eyes got caught on it looking out of the window. I was traveling with a good friend from Tégláskert who lives not far from the building, so I asked him if he knew what it could be, and he replied that it was an old mansion. I liked the atmosphere of the building, so a few days after the trip I visited the site, which is located in Debrecen on the corner of Gázvezeték and Vértesi Streets, not far from the railway lines.

As I walked around the building I saw continuity emanating from every corner. It had been rebuilt many times, and it had gone through a whole series of changes until it finally came to its current state. The raw, dilapidated brick surfaces, the slightly dirty but clear interiors and their system immediately captivated me. I felt that such an atmosphere could be perfect for artistic creation. I thought the house was suitable for use and its current function unworthy: to serve as an occasional accommodation and toilet for homeless people. I started a research on the history of the building, during which the following sequence of events unfolded.