Debrecen4U September 18, 2026

“Cívis” House of 2026 Award Presented in Debrecen

As part of the European Heritage Days programme, the award ceremony for the “Cívis” House of the Year and the presentation of this year’s beneficiaries of the Built Heritage Protection and Renovation Programme were held on 18 September 2026 at the Drying Workshop of the Department of Architectural Engineering at the University of Debrecen’s Faculty of Engineering. This year’s award went to the building at 43 Miklós Street.

Before the winner was announced, Mayor László Papp stressed that Debrecen is a city with a strong momentum for development, but that it is important to ensure that its architectural heritage is protected as the city evolves. The mayor recalled the lengthy debate surrounding the Aranybika building over whether it would be appropriate to replicate the style of the building designed by Alfréd Hajós and construct a similar-style building in place of the wing built in the 1970s. “The architectural profession also has a responsibility to ensure that solutions and buildings are created that are worthy of the layers that came before them and build upon one another in such a way that, 50 or 100 years from now, when people look back, future generations can say that this city has continuity in terms of both its development and its architecture,” László Papp emphasised.

He added that preserving the city’s built heritage was a huge responsibility, and thanked the Debrecen Association for the Protection and Beautification of the City, which has provided substantial professional material to support the city’s heritage-preservation efforts in recent years. The mayor noted that Debrecen has more than 330 buildings under local heritage protection. The mayor also pointed out that, within the limits of its possibilities, the city seeks to play a role in the renewal of historically and architecturally significant buildings, thereby preserving its architectural heritage and keeping alive the architectural layers created in different periods. He said he was particularly proud that almost all of Debrecen’s churches had been renovated in recent years, while the renovation of the church on Attila Square is currently under way.

“The thoughtful renewal and renovation of the beautiful Csokonai National Theatre building has also achieved significant recognition within the architectural profession, while the renovation of City Hall can likewise be mentioned as an example of an effort to preserve and renew the building’s historical significance. In 2023, we launched an initiative, the “Cívis” House of the Year award, which aims to encourage owners of traditional “cívis” houses not to think primarily in terms of major property developments, but to regard these buildings as valuable assets and, where possible, to contribute their own resources to their renewal so that they can continue to showcase the values of the city’s architectural character,” he said.

László Papp announced that this year’s “Cívis” House of the Year award had been won by the building at 43 Miklós Street. “Renovating a building like this in a thoughtful and appropriate manner is no small challenge, as at first sight it may seem that a great many compromises have to be made. This is precisely why I am grateful that Debrecen has owners who approach these tasks with great expertise and responsibility,” he emphasised. He added that buildings of this type often cannot, or can only with considerable difficulty, meet the requirements of the modern age, which is why the city has launched its Built Heritage Protection Programme. This year, HUF 220 million in funding is available to owners and condominium communities that undertake to renovate their buildings, supplemented by their own financial contribution.

The mayor highlighted that the programme has supported the renovation of the large apartment building on the corner of Batthyány and Szent Anna Streets, construction of which began exactly 100 years ago this year, as well as the Svetits apartment building, whose renovation is currently under way. In addition, renovation work on the building at 11 Kossuth Streets is expected to be completed within a few weeks.

This year, four further applications have received funding: the buildings at 39 Darabos Street and 3 Kossuth Street, the apartment building at 69 Piac Street, and the house at 6 Hatvan Street, which will likely need to be renovated in several stages over the coming years.

Chief Architect István Gábor spoke, among other things, about why he considers the “Cívis” House of the Year award important. He said that owners or users of a property should treat the building in such a way that it can showcase its values and find its place in the history of the city. “I believe that this year’s winning house on Miklós Street likewise wants to – and is able to – demonstrate this value,” he stated. He stressed that there is a demand in today’s Debrecen society for buildings to reveal more of the value of the plot and place on which they stand than was apparent when the property was acquired, and to bring forward the standards and aspirations that previous generations have consistently established through the beautification and development of Debrecen over the centuries.

The application concerning the property at 43 Miklós Street was submitted by a representative of Marrone Design Korlátolt Felelősségű Társaság. At the request of the Head of the Chief Architect’s Office, six members of the City Planning and Architectural Advisory Board independently reviewed and professionally assessed the submitted documentation, reaching the following conclusion:

“The renovation of the building has been carried out to a high architectural standard, providing an exemplary combination of the preservation of the historic building’s values with contemporary requirements of use. The careful restoration of the façade and gateway, the retention of the original shutters, window and door frames and reveals, and the preservation of the building’s distinctive architectural details authentically maintain its historic character.

The thoughtful reinterpretation of the interior spaces combines the existing architectural values with contemporary materials and high-quality interior design solutions, ensuring the building’s modern and functional use. The new section of the building, with its restrained appearance, does not seek to compete with the historic structure but instead connects to the existing built environment in a subordinate manner.

Overall, the development contributes to the preservation of the city’s built heritage and provides a good example of the value-based and sustainable use of historic building stock.

It should be noted that, due to the predominance of paved surfaces in the design of the inner courtyard, green areas play a more limited role. Nevertheless, this does not materially diminish the renovation’s outstanding architectural value or its exemplary approach.”

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu