This is the sixteenth time that the most outstanding works of the previous year are recognized at the Hungarian Media Architecture Awards (MÉD) gala designed by the architects’ group Építészfórum. In view of the pandemic, the event on February 20 was broadcast online by the organizers from the Trafó House of Contemporary Arts.
The MÉD Awards gala, founded by the Építészfórum, is a professional event with a sixteen-year tradition, the special feature of which is that judging is held in front of the public. This year, the jury gave the prize of the best building to the team of Konkrét Stúdió for a family house in Üllő. The jury found it outstanding that the building was presented together by the architect-designer and the client, thus demonstrating that it was fit for its purpose. Among the plans, the jury gave the award to Hunor Albert Szántó for his building planned for the Hungarian Landscape Restoration Center (consultant: Miklós Vannay DLA). The plan, already boasting many previously won prestigious awards, attracted the jury’s attention with its admittedly temporary lifespan.
The PJ House in Cluj-Napoca, designed by Miklós Péterffy and his team, won the audience’s award this year. Csenge Györgyi and Bálint Iszak received the award for the plan that received the most votes from the audience, bestowed by János Pásztor, the owner of Építészfórum, for their work entitled Volcano Museum in Iceland. Since last year, a new audience award has also been handed out by the organizers of MÉD in the built environment category. This year, Emese Bunyik‘s work The Kingdom of Dormouse proved to be the best.
The Perika Award was bestowed for the third time within the history of the MÉD, as a professional recognition that honors the memory of the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Építészfórum, Erika Katalina Pásztor. This year, it was given to architect and heritage protector Anna Perczel, the president of the Óvás! Foundation.
Other special prize winners:
Austrotherm Special Award: Arctonic (György Töős and Géza Szőkedencsi)—Gedeon Richter community and office building in Debrecen
Zoltán Kovács Memorial Award: István Bálint
Europa Design Special Award for Interior Design: Fló Architects (Linda Csővári and Ágota Demeter)—AKG Primary and High School
Építészfórum Professional Development Award: Gábor Kiss
Special Prize for Major Investments: Miklós Marosi and his team—Opera House Eiffel Workshop and Rehearsal Center
Members of the jury in 2020: Dávid Zubreczki, architectural writer, storyteller, chairman of the jury; László Bagi, editor, journalist (Forbes); András Földes, journalist, video editor (Telex); András Zsuppán, journalist (Válasz Online); Dr. Nóra Géczy, architect and designer (Széchenyi István University).
Main sponsor: Austrotherm
Sponsors: Europa Design, KÖZTI Zrt., Gránit Pólus, Optimum Solar, Terrán, PREFA Hungary, Hansgrohe, Autodesk, Lisys-Project Kft., Market, National Cultural Fund of Hungary (NKA), VPI Beton
Media partners: Octogon, Hungarian Contemporary Architecture Centre, Magyar Építéstechnika, Régi- Új Magyar Építőművészet, Az Év irodája (Office of the Year), Proidea, Országépítő, A Mi Otthonunk, Építész Klub, Szónok Születik Retorikaiskola, Chamber of Hungarian Architects
MÉD photos: Attila Gulyás
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