Architectural Styles of the Historical Tenements in Budapest. Blueprint of an Analysis

Abstract

The historical tenement building activity in the Hungarian capital reached its peak around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, when, in a relatively short period, thousands of houses were built to meet tenant needs. These buildings, adorned with characteristic ornaments, are all unique; yet, they form a cityscape that is exceptional in size and has changed minimally in the past hundred and fifty years. The present study is part of a large-scale analysis aiming to define an architectural typology of the stock to support easier identification and understanding of their multi-faceted values, and to serve as a benchmark for future rehabilitation programs. In this paper, a style terminology of the buildings is specified based on results from previous literature and extensive field studies surveys.