In an international competition (EUmies Awards), renowned as the most prestigious and significant accolade in European contemporary architecture, The Dryer Workshop was selected as one of the top 40 entries out of a pool hundreds of buildings. In order to mark this achievement, FUGA Budapest Center of Architecture and KÉK (Contemporary Architecture Centre) made arrangements for a tour of the building.
The renovation and conversion into an educational and community space of this building of industrial heritage, dating back to the early 1900s and situated in the courtyard of the former Tanner's House, was implemented through a collaboration between the city of Debrecen and our university., The project was completed in June 2024, and the Department of Architecture at Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen then set up a studio in the facility. At present, it serves as a venue where students of architecture draw blueprints and scale models, take comprehensive exams and participate in sessions for gaining hands-on experience with various building materials.
Regarding the EUmies Awards, Head of the Department of Architecture János Vági noted that the accolade, which was established in 1988, is awarded every two years to architectural works of outstanding quality that demonstrate sustainability and significant social impact. The award is normally presented in three categories, and it was jointly established by the European Commission and Fundació Mies van der Rohe in Barcelona.
- This year the jury was chaired by Chilean architect Smiljan Radić Clarke, who sought primarily to recognize the renovation and exemplary adaptive reuse of existing buildings through the award, although built projects and graduation projects by young architects were also honored. Nominations are routinely made by professional organizations of architecture- said the head of the department.
The Dryer Workshop was the only project nominated from Hungary to make the shortlist of the top 40 entries for the EUmies Awards.
- This is a huge success, given the fact that a total of 410 buildings were adjudicated by the jury altogether. Our project met the expectations in almost every respect: it was implemented with minimal resources and a small budget, on a community basis, and after a student design competition- said János Vági.
Associate Professor Edit Huszthy at the Department of Architecture at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Debrecen related how she had discovered the building in 2014. At that point in time, it was still part of the Tanner’s House complex and in a rather dilapidated state. She also shared the details of the preparations for its renovation.
As for Dóra Szuszik, an assistant lecturer at the Department of Architecture (Faculty of Engineering, University of Debrecen) and a member of the three-member team winning the relevant student design competition, she briefed interested attendees on the particulars of the reconstruction project.
The participants taking the tour could learn not only about the history of The Dryer Workshop and the educational activities carried out there but could also attend an exhibition in the courtyard featuring works by students of architecture enrolled at the Faculty of Engineering.
Press Center- OCs