Suspended In Time

When the restoration of this abandoned mill in budapest was suspended for seven years, the forced pause gave T2.A architects time to reflect upon the relationship between the old and new.

- Pearlie Tan

In the north of Budapest, Hungary, T2.a Architects has transformed an industrial mill into a modern residential loft.

Originally commissioned in 2005, the project saw a seven-year break halfway through giving the architects pause to reflect upon the dialogue between the past and the present, and to create a smart and sustainable building that thoughtfully preserves its original character.

The two façades of the Jazz Loft define the architectural relationship between the old and new.

Facing the main street, the faded red brick evokes the stoic industrial origins, while the polished purple clinker brick on the new top-level and inward-facing walls offer an immediate contrast with contemporary appeal.

FIRST PHASE, 2005

Commissioned to restore the building in 2005, the conservation of the industrial property was the highest priority for T2.a Architects.

Constructed in the 1860s, the brick factory was one of the first steam-driven roller mills in Hungary, where grain was ground into high-quality flour.

It was abandoned in the early 1990s after modern factories were built on the outskirts of the city.

Although it had fallen into disrepair, the architects were impressed by the remarkable samples of industrial architecture, particularly the huge brick walls, wooden slabs and roof structures.

“The clean, functional building volumes (and) rational yet high-quality structures were outstanding among the neighbouring concrete block buildings from the 1970s socialist era,” says architect Bence Turányi.