On the path of progress
István Mányi, architect
MúzeumCafé 14.
Access to the old building of the Fine Arts Museum and the related conversions have been desig-ned by István Mányi, for whom quality and keeping things natural are the guiding principles. His tasks are complex, involving stairs, lifts, buffets and the transport of art works. More than twenty years ago István Mányi was asked by the then director of the museum, to design the reconstruction of the building, which was then just beginning. “At first I wanted to turn down the task, since I was working on the reconstruction of the University of Economics and the chemistry unit of ELTE University, but my boss told me that this honour simply couldn’t be refused.” Later thinking beyond the outlines became a reality. “A museum cannot survive in the confined space delineated by its old walls,” says Mányi. “It needs temporary exhibitions and visitors’ service spaces, and its operational infrastructure should also target tourists. With appropriate organisation long queues in the freezing cold could have been avoided earlier. Climatisation, a regulated entrance system and the appropriate security measures have already been put in place. Yet all the work done so far has only been preparation for the large-scale extension project whose planning is underway now.” “In the end we shared tasks, so I am in charge of matters relating to the extension but with reference to the original museum building, since a vital aspect of this project is how the new can function in harmony with what already exists. Our working relations are excellent, yet it’s been frustrating to observe the decelerating processes of the EU’s tendering system. Instead of all the red tape, we should be getting on with the work. However, it’s the same elsewhere, for example with my other jobs involving reconstruction of the Academy of Music.”