Napraforgó street 20.
Architect: József Fischer
Budapest, 1901 – Budapest, 1995, architect, polititian, member of Parliament, minister
He studied in a highschool for building and received construction magager qualification. He did not have architect diplom. He was employed by a private builder company, first as construction manager then as designer. In 1931 he, together with his wife Eszter Pécsi, started an architectural undertaking which functioned until 1940.
His architectural career started in the middle of the 1920s. Between 1928-1938 he was the leader of the Hungarian group of Congress of Modern Architecture (CIAM) and organized many of the exhibitions, publication possibilities of the group. He was one of the editors of the periodical Tér és Forma between 1942-1948. His significant architectural theory articles originate also from the period when the Hungarian group of CIAM was in function. On his buildings the influence of Walter Gropius, the Bauhaus and of architects connected to CIAM (Ernst May, Le Corbusier) can be felt. He usually prepared his architectural plans alone, with the exception of the years 1934-1935, when he worked jointly with Marcell Breuer and Farkas Molnár.
After 1945 he became the president of the Council of Public Works in Budapest and organized the reconstruction of the city after the war. After the political change he was sent away due his social democrat commitment. In the 50s he worked at different state companies as construction manager and inspector. In 1956 he became state minister in the 3rd government of Imre Nagy.
In 1964 he emigrated to the USA where he was employed by different companies. In 1978 he returned to Hungary. In 1993 he was elected the honorary citizen of Budapest due to his architectural activity and role in the post-war reconstruction. In 2010 he was awarded a posthumus Ybl prize.
Source of the photos: Tér és Forma 1931/10, 305-326, Vékás András, Megyeri Gábor
Source of the ground-plans: Tér és Forma 1931/10, 305-326