The community architecture project for Kálvária Square (District VIII) is a collaboration with Recetas Urbanas, an international collective of architects and activists led by the Spanish architects Santiago Cirugeda and Alice Attout. For over 20 years, they have been active in participatory design and socially engaged architecture worldwide. Their approach builds on the challenges and opportunities faced by participating communities while fostering cooperation, solidarity, and creativity.
Kálvária Square is a dense, busy and noisy spot on Baross Street. Alongside a bus and trolley stop, the square accommodates a park, playground, dog run, monuments, public sculptures, and a double cross with runic script, all arranged in close proximity . It sits at the intersection of the district’s (Józsefváros) contrasting forces—where the fading old town meets what remains, and the housing estate encircles them both. Like their residents, these elements exist side by side, touching yet rarely connecting.
As part of the OFF-Biennale and its central theme, a public installation will be created here in collaboration with local civic groups, established and emerging communities, and residents. The project reflects on the accessibility of our public spaces while exploring the notion of security through public, dialogical situations. Taking the site’s characteristics as a starting point, participants will not only jointly design and build a structure for community use but will also define its function and operation, ensuring its long-term integration into the public space. The installation at Kálvária Square is more than just a structure—it is an evolving process. Starting in December 2024, meetings, workshops and collaborations will bring together different people who live, work, or regularly spend time in the neighborhood.
OFF-Biennale and Recetas Urbanas first collaborated in 2022 during documenta fifteen in Kassel, where, together with students from a local school, we built Allesbrücke—a bridge over a boathouse on the banks of the Fulda river.
In collaboration with: Recetas Urbanas (Alice Attout, Santiago Cirugeda, Juan Gutierrez)
Participating civic organizations: Artemisszió Foundation / Mira House, FiDo Youth Centre, Gólya Community Centrer / Building Communities Through Neighbourhoods programme, Moravcsik Foundation, Never Give Up Hungary Foundation, Péter Vajda Community Garden, Second Chance Sports Association, Uccu Foundation
Curators: Nikolett Erőss, Rita Kálmán, Eszter Lázár
Community mediator: Lívia Marschall
Architects: Péter Lassu, Gergely Madarász
Site managers: József Vályi-Tóth, Dániel Ungerhofer
Thanks to all our volunteer builders for their help!
Venue: Kálvária tér (District 8)
Opening party: May 10, 15.00–18.00
Open: May 8 – August 31
This project is implemented in the framework of Art Space Unlimited:
Five European non-profit art organizations have teamed up to learn from each other and find new ways to open up to audiences with limited access to institutionalized culture. Initiated by La Escocesa (Barcelona, Spain), OFF-Biennale Budapest (Hungary), < rotor > (Graz, Austria), Shtatëmbëdhjetë / Foundation 17 (Pristina, Kosovo), and tranzit.cz / Biennale Matter of Art (Prague, Czech Republic), the project Art Space Unlimited builds upon the individual artistic and educational efforts of these institutions, who will realise different critical art and cultural events in cooperation with local communities based on their specific needs. The art spaces involved will build shared knowledge and organize public events centered around the mediation of art. The project will help these institutions to become spaces relevant for an audience with limited access to institutionalized contemporary art and develop strategies which can be relevant for other, similar organisations. The project will culminate in a book that will be made available in six languages.
Supported by: EU Creative Europe Programme / European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), Our Common Values Programme / Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV), Praktiker Kft., Sika Hungary Kft., Józsefváros Municipality
*Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.
*The European Commission’s support for this project does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the project implementers, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
