Local services
In May 2023, the Assembly created the Cívis House of the Year Award, with the aim of rewarding those who have been at the forefront of the preservation of cívis architectural heritage. This year’s competition was announced at a press conference held by Mayor László Papp, Chief Architect István Gábor and Municipal Councillor Ibolya Aurélia Orosz on the 12th of March 2024.
Mayor László Papp emphasised that Debrecen is a city with great dynamics, which has developed and changed a lot in recent decades. “It is a particularly great challenge for us to let development take its course in the city in such a way that it does not change Debrecen, but rather remains as we have come to know and love it, and as we would like to see it in the future, but in such a way that we can also develop and our traditions and values are preserved,” he underlined.
He said that there are currently 305 residential buildings under local protection in Debrecen, and in the last five to seven years a very large number of buildings have been placed under local protection, with more than 130 buildings under listed building protection. “This year, the city budget will also set up a renovation fund of 200 million HUF to promote the renovation of buildings of outstanding urban value, with a view to protecting local architectural values. We are taking decisive steps on several fronts to preserve the traditional architectural character of the city and to renovate these buildings,” he highlighted.
Speaking about the application, he said that they wanted to raise awareness of the need to renovate these beautiful traditional buildings. He said that the owners are taking steps of their own accord and with their own resources to renew old buildings, even those that are 100 or 150 years old, and they want to be recognised for that. He added that it is a particular challenge to renew these buildings in a way that meets today’s requirements in terms of technology, energy and engineering, without changing their character.
Chief architect, István Gábor recalled that in the second half of the 19th century, a movement was formed in Debrecen that tried to claim urban development as its own. He said it also regulated the quality and appearance of the houses that could be built in the town. “The aim was to transform the rural image of the town at the time and to create a beautiful bourgeois culture in the built environment,” he said.
Municipal representative Aurélia Ibolya Orosz said that the renovation of buildings is important not only for the people living in them, as these buildings can offer a unique experience to those coming from other cities of which we can all be proud of.
The call for applications for the Cívis House of the Year is open until the 31st of July 2024.
The competition and details are available by clicking on the link: https://www.debrecen.hu/hu/debreceni/civis-ertekek/palyazati-felhivas-39
Source: debrecen.hu
