Initiatives / Experiments / Visions
12 Walls Exhibition
Project description
City of Veszprém invited us to organize an exhibition in a building they will renovate in the future to become the office building of the existing theatre of Veszprém. The building is a former industrial school of Veszprém designed by Lajos Schoditsch and was empty for almost 30 years. Our concept for the exhibition was based on the history of the existing building and the theatre, while we wanted to investigate current tendencies in young architecture, and turn the pre-renovation period of the building into a sort of celebration. Arts at the turn of the century were greatly influenced by two terms, motif and ornament. The achievements of this period include Lajos Schoditsch’s Industrial School or, across the street, István Medgyaszay’s Petőfi Theater, a symbol of Veszprém today. Prior to the renovation, there was an opportunity to reflect on the questions significant for Medgyaszay and the architects of his time, by showing what ornament and decoration mean for young architects today. In recent years, there is a novel interest in the ornament. This tendency is apparent in the international scene of architecture both in individual productions and in so-far isolated discussions. While this interest is definitely linked to the rediscovery of the Post-Modern architecture and approach, the opportunities provided by digital design tools and the latest accomplishments of the construction sector will result in completely new aspects. Departing from its original meaning, decoration is not a secondary or complementary function anymore, but an architectural quality. Many emerging architects and studios are struggling to settle with the repeatedly omitted, yet constantly resurfacing ornament. As the curators and organizers of the exhibition we invited young collectives to present different approaches. The works at the exhibition examine the current roles and boundaries of the ornament, by appropriating the late Industrial School’s empty, undecorated walls. 12, to be precise.
Author's presentation text
Paradigma Ariadné is a Budapest based design studio to create extraordinary architecture and related contents, through applying theory, imagination and narration based design processes. The studio was founded in 2016 by Attila Róbert Csóka, Szabolcs Molnár and Dávid Smiló. Clients of Paradigma Ariadné include individuals, institutions, companies, and local governments as well, to provide them outstanding ideas and solutions wherever processes require architecture-related knowledge. Paradigma Ariadné is co-curator of Hungarian Pavilion at Venice Biennale of Architecture 2021 together with Dániel Kovács. Previously Paradigma Ariadné took part in several exhibitions to display their works in Budapest, Venice, Warsaw, Vienna and Ohio State, USA
