A World's Fair in Italy: Turin 1911

Medgyaszay, Istvan

Name:	Medgyaszay, Istvan
Gender:	Male
Birth:	1877
Death:	1959
Description:	Istvan Medgyaszay (1877-1959) created works praised for their synthesis of national romanticism and functionalism. Because of his anthropologic interest in Hungarians origins, Medgyaszay integrated engineering innovations (reinforced concrete structure) and compact architectural structures with archetypal motives, such as the tulip (from Turkish tradition), animal symbols (the hook in particular, as symbol of the ancient warriors, and the deer and doe), and pre-Christian religious elements such as the Sun and Moon. His most daring plan was the construction of a National Pantheon in Budapest on the Gellért Hill, the design of which won an award in Vienna in 1903, in Budapest in 1906, in Paris 1907, in London 1909 and in Monza in 1923.
Structures:	Pavilion of Hungary Hungary is so modern in aesthetic expression and so jealous of its national traditions. The pavilion is the most striking in the International exhibition: austere in its exterior, beautiful and bizarre inside, this building of noble proportions and harmonious coloring ... is reminiscent of India and Persia ... and inspired by antique Hungarian motifs. (Melani, 289) Named “King’s Attila Tent-Palace,” the Hungarian Pavilion was unanimously considered the “Pearl of the Exposition” and praised for its ability to evoke a sense of motion in a perfectly geometric structure. The designers’ aim was to give visual expression to the power of the Hungarian military tradition, underscore its relevance to the present, and celebrate the strong and determinate nature of the Hungarian nation and its people. Made of wood, the Pavilion of Hungary combined the Romantic vision of the Tent-Palace of ancient king Attila with the Modernist inspiration of its stern cubic blocks. Harmoniously fused in the pavilion, Romantic echoes and Modernist traits are the defining elements of Hungarian functionalism. The building is a mirror of the lively social and cultural situation of the Hungarian nation, and particularly Budapest, during the first decade of the twentieth century. The Pavilion of Hungary was located on the left bank of the river Po, next to the Main entrance on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II and the Orto Botanico (botanical gardens). It was designed by Hungarian architects Emil Tőry, Móric (Maurice) Pogány, and Dénes Györgyi. An eclectic building, combining Art Nouveau elements with the features of National Romanticism, it covered 6000 square meters, and was considered "the pearl of the exposition." Le Eposizioni di Roma e di Torino nel 1911 descritte ed illustrate (volume 4, January 1911, 31) described the building under construction as "una costruzione eminentemente caratteristica, con decorazioni cromatiche in maiolica" (a remarkably characteristic building with colorful maiolica decorations"). The Mostra Forestale Ungherese was located next to the Pavilion. Interpretive Essays National Romanticism and the Hungarian Pavilion The Hungarian Pavilion: Exterior The Hungarian Pavilion: Interior