Barabás Villa by Garten Studio Ltd.

Built in 2003 / 2025 Entries / 2025 Revisited Landscapes / Hungary /
gartenstudio.hu

Barabás Villa – A Monument Rescued from Decay
The design of the Barabás Villa garden is one of the earliest completed and still functioning projects of our landscape architecture office. Over 24 years ago, we were commissioned by the architect to create the plans for the villa garden, and we also closely followed the construction process. In the two decades that have passed, the garden’s structure and the built environment have remained unchanged; the passage of time is most visible in the growth of the vegetation, which plays a key role in shaping the unique atmosphere of this hidden garden nestled in the Buda hills.

Today, it’s hard to imagine that this part of the city was a popular excursion destination in the 19th century, full of lush gardens, old villas, and summer homes. It was here that Miklós Barabás, the famous portrait painter, built his summer residence.

Until the phylloxera epidemic of the late 1880s, the Buda side was home to vineyards and did not resemble a city in any way. Thanks to Joseph II, the first public park in Budapest, Városmajor, was established here at the end of the 18th century—then still outside the inhabited areas. From the 1830s–1840s, wealthier residents began purchasing plots to build villas and summer houses.

In 1839, Miklós Barabás bought a vineyard plot at 44 Városmajor Street, where there was a small press house and a cellar. Based on his own designs, he had the classical-style villa built in 1840. Initially used as a summer home, a few years later it was expanded with a studio, and the family moved in permanently. Barabás retreated here to paint, enjoying his homemade wine under the shady trees of the beautiful garden with his guests.

The painter sold the building in 1870. Due to frequent changes in ownership, it eventually deteriorated into a near-ruin: the wrought-iron fountain in the front garden disappeared in the 1950s, and both the building and the fence were on the verge of collapse.

Aiming to give the site a new community function, the district municipality launched a design competition for the reconstruction of the main building and the complete renovation of its surroundings. Based on the architectural plans of Péter Basa, the historic main building was restored to its former glory, while the surrounding structures—both existing and new—underwent radical transformation. In terms of form and materials, the new structures differ from the classical main building. The architect blended classical elements with wooden, stone, and glass surfaces on the annexes. The new buildings were discreetly set back, becoming part of the garden composition, and many of them were built partially underground. A watercolor painting of the villa and its garden proved very helpful when, in 2000, the municipality began the renovation project.

The garden units in front of and behind the main building differ in their layout.
The front garden between the street and the villa harmonizes with the classical architecture. A simple path system and a central fountain provide an impressive introduction.

The rear garden is comsists of terraced sections, which are situated on levels above each other according to the topography. The garden is easy to navigate thanks to the clear layout of the pathways and the large, contiguous green areas. A roof garden with rectangular planting beds atop the sunken event hall acts as a transitional zone between the buildings and the more organic rear garden area.

The renovation was completed by 2003. Since becoming a venue for artistic and cultural events, as well as permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Barabás Villa has found its rightful place in Budapest’s cultural scene. The project—which included the initiative, planning, and execution—was awarded the Europa Nostra Award in 2004, one of the most prestigious honors in European architecture.

The villa also hosts temporary exhibitions, contemporary art exhibitions. Otherwise, it serves as a venue for events, concerts, most commonly small weddings. The Barabás Villa is also an official marriage registry location for Budapest’s 12th District. Larger civil ceremonies are held in the sunken event hall in the backyard or outdoors. On weekdays, the public is free to stroll through the villa’s garden. The terraced, quiet 3,000-square-meter garden climbs up the hillside, with benches hidden in shady corners along the paths. A few remaining grapevines and a bust of Miklós Barabás commemorate the former vineyard estate.

• Other landscape architecture offices involved in the design of the landscape:
Garten Studio Ltd., Gabi Vastagh, György Szloszjár, Rita Remeczki

• Architecture offices involved in the design:
Péter Basa

• Other credits:
The project—which included the initiative, planning, and execution—was awarded the Europa Nostra Award in 2004