The first community housing model constructed in Hungary - the collective house in Miskolc

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to present Hungary’s first project related to today’s co-housing model in many ways, and which was thus ahead of its time in terms of its social, technical, and economic aspects. The building was completed in 1979 at the initiative of architecture students in Miskolc, Northern Hungary, where young engineers were needed due to the forced industrialization of state socialism. For this reason, the city administration of the era accepted the novel initiative of a university architectural community and built the so-called Collective House, which created the framework for a form of housing previously unknown in Hungary. In addition to the unique use of space, the building was experimental in several ways, including the plans being prepared within the framework of participation, with the involvement of later movers. In addition, panel technology was used for the structure of the building, which until then was mainly typical for the construction of monotonous 5-10-story panel apartment buildings.

Keywords

• collectivity
• state socialism
• miskolc
• hungary
• co-housing
• prefabricated
• panel