The Restrooms of Gundel Restaurant

Location: EU, 1146 Budapest, Gundel Károly út 4.

Client: Gundel Kft.

Planning: 2017

Realization: 2017

Scale: ~500 m2

Leading designers: LAB5 architects | Linda Erdélyi, András Dobos, Balázs Korényi, Virág Anna Gáspár

Designers: Gabriella Fehér, Rebeka Sipos

Co-engineers: Re-Energy Kft., GSTR IntElekt Mérnökiroda Kft.

Photos: Zsolt Batár

 

Gundel is one of the most famous and luxurious restaurant of Budapest since 1910, located in the City Park, serving a traditional kitchen. The facility is undergoing several developments recently. The original building was built in 1894, and now LAB5 architects had the chance to design the refurbishment of its toilets.

 

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Space

Since the given space is tight and the program needed even bigger number of toilets then the existing situation, we used bright surfaces, mirrors and glasses for compensation. Materials, colours and details are in accordance with the old styled interiors, but from a contemporary toolkit.

 

Window

To make the space feel bigger and provide a more natural atmosphere, we let the whole surfaces of the windows to be open. Providing intimacy we covered the windows by a new layer of opal glass and placed cut flowers in-between.

 

Mirrors

As a metaphor - we see the hand wash basins as a fountain of cleanness and freshness, the mirrors are following the shape and setting as if they were rising bubbles. The tiniest space is the common lobby, the short walls on both ends are covered by full mirror to create the impression of an infinite corridor.