IN JÓZSEF WALLA'S FOOTSTEPS
Renovation of historic terrazzo flooring
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: BEATRIX TORMA
The most exciting period in the modern development of Budapest, which had become the capital city, was the turn of the century, a time full of initiative and experimentation, which was a significant turning point in terms of architectural history and the history of cold coverings. Terrazzo flooring appeared in Hungary, and nothing illustrates its magnificence better than the historic flooring of the Hungarian National Bank.
HUNGARIAN NATIONAL BANK
HISTORIC TERRAZZO FLOORING
At the turn of the century, Hungary also developed a rich social and cultural environment that enabled the establishment of numerous important public buildings. The former Austro-Hungarian Bank, now the Hungarian National Bank, was built between 1902 and 1905 based on the designs of Ignác Alpár. The large-scale terrazzo floor coverings manufactured by József Walla's company are an integral and prominent feature of this historic building. Walla's name is associated with the flooring of many now forgotten and demolished historic buildings. The bank headquarters building features five types of historic terrazzo patterns, the restoration of which was carried out entirely by the Iamart manufactory. One of the most important motives behind the founding of Iamart in 2017 was to make cement and terrazzo floor coverings, which have a history dating back several decades, available again for domestic and international architecture in the 21st century, with a special focus on the diverse cultural heritage of the Central and Eastern European region.
Contemporary manufacturing technology
The terrazzo pattern system of the bank headquarters consists of contiguous fields formed from small-element tiles, the border and corner elements edging them, and a background field formed from single-color tiles surrounding all of this. The terrazzo tiles, colored with oxide pigments and embedded in a cementitious binder, are made from a mixture of natural limestone and marble chips in appropriate proportions.
One of the foundations of the collaboration with Iamart was the manufacturing technology used, which, in the case of terrazzo tiles, is identical to the technology used in the production of contemporary tiles. As a result, the manufacturing technique, motif set, and color scheme of the reproduced pieces were found to be appropriate from a historical perspective. During the nearly four years of collaboration, which involved the participation of a historic preservation expert, Iamart carried out research, restoration, manufacturing, and construction work.
Humble work and challenges
One of the many challenges was to accurately reconstruct the restrained color scheme of József Walla's original floor coverings, which allowed the decorative painting, works of art, and ornate furniture to stand out while maintaining the optical balance of the rooms and spaces.
HUNGARIAN NATIONAL BANK
HISTORIC TERRAZZO FLOORING
At the turn of the century, Hungary also developed a rich social and cultural environment that enabled the establishment of numerous important public buildings. The former Austro-Hungarian Bank, now the Hungarian National Bank, was built between 1902 and 1905 based on the designs of Ignác Alpár. The large-scale terrazzo floor coverings manufactured by József Walla's company are an integral and prominent feature of this historic building. Walla's name is associated with the flooring of many now forgotten and demolished historic buildings. The bank headquarters building features five types of historic terrazzo patterns, the restoration of which was carried out entirely by the Iamart manufactory. One of the most important motives behind the founding of Iamart in 2017 was to make cement and terrazzo floor coverings, which have a history dating back several decades, available again for domestic and international architecture in the 21st century, with a special focus on the diverse cultural heritage of the Central and Eastern European region.
Iamart's tasks were partly different and partly similar at the various historic sites of the building. In areas designated by the historic preservation expert, Iamart carried out on-site pavement restoration, while in other cases its task was to manufacture pavement matching the original, which was preceded by lengthy preparatory and research work. Their tasks included the comprehensive treatment and maintenance of the historic flooring, its removal, proper storage, replacement, re-laying, and proper protection.
Many years of humble work, carried out in cooperation with numerous specialist trades, also gave Iamart the opportunity to use its experience to further develop the Iamart Knowledge Base, which is currently under construction.
Contemporary manufacturing technology
The terrazzo pattern system of the bank headquarters consists of contiguous fields formed from small-element tiles, the border and corner elements edging them, and a background field formed from single-color tiles surrounding all of this. The terrazzo tiles, colored with oxide pigments and embedded in a cementitious binder, are made from a mixture of natural limestone and marble chips in appropriate proportions.
One of the foundations of the collaboration with Iamart was the manufacturing technology used, which, in the case of terrazzo tiles, is identical to the technology used in the production of contemporary tiles. As a result, the manufacturing technique, motif set, and color scheme of the reproduced pieces were found to be appropriate from a historical perspective. During the nearly four years of collaboration, which involved the participation of a historic preservation expert, Iamart carried out research, restoration, manufacturing, and construction work.
Humble work and challenges
One of the many challenges was to accurately reconstruct the restrained color scheme of József Walla's original floor coverings, which allowed the decorative painting, works of art, and ornate furniture to stand out while maintaining the optical balance of the rooms and spaces.
Iamart's tasks were partly different and partly similar at the various historic sites of the building. In areas designated by the historic preservation expert, Iamart carried out on-site pavement restoration, while in other cases its task was to manufacture pavement matching the original, which was preceded by lengthy preparatory and research work. Their tasks included the comprehensive treatment and maintenance of the historic flooring, its removal, proper storage, replacement, re-laying, and proper protection.
Many years of humble work, carried out in cooperation with numerous specialist trades, also gave Iamart the opportunity to use its experience to further develop the Iamart Knowledge Base, which is currently under construction.
