Budapest's Brutalist Marvels: Where Concrete Meets Culture

We’ve looked at how current productions filming in Hungary are shooting Budapest to depict Paris of the early to mid-twentieth century. But Hungary is a country with a complex personality, reflected in its eclectic architectural style. As such, it has a wide range of locales and moods in its repertoire.

 Everyone has their gritty side; the one where life’s challenges have left marks on the psyche. To get deeper into the character of Hungary and its capital Budapest, we have to go beyond the charming façade; the old-world milieu of neo-Renaissance and opulent baroque styles into perhaps what could be termed its polar opposite: Brutalism.

Picture this: colossal blocks of concrete reaching for the sky, surrounded by shades of grey. It’s a place where you have to move fast, or risk being immortalized in a sea of cement.

Salgótarján, Hungary

Salgótarján, Hungary

What is architecture–especially to a layperson such as me–but a snapshot of genre; a mise-en-scene where storytelling takes off?

Brutalist architecture, commonly featuring unpainted concrete or brick and angular shapes, is characterised by highly minimalist design that eschews anything ornate or decorative. One would assume it’s a style born of totalitarianism; t’s a vibe that quite obviously rejects bourgeois frivolity in favour of a no-nonsense message of “equality for all”.

It’s therefore not surprising that Brutalism quickly proliferated throughout the Soviet satellite states of Eastern Europe in the cold war era and particularly utilized in institutional buildings. But the architecture itself was pioneered in the UK by architects Alison and Peter Smithson after the 1950s.

With its clean lines and austere facades, there are many examples of the style to be admired in Budapest in structures such as The Budapest Hotel or the Széll Kálmán square metro stop.

One of the more famous examples of Brutalism in London is the National Theatre, which King Charles once described as looking like “a nuclear power station”.

The National Theatre, London. Photo via www.designingbuildings.co.uk

Sure, the style has its detractors who term it “cold” or “soulless” and are calling for it to be eradicated from skylines. But doesn’t it deserve to retain its place in our cities as a stark reminder of our common history?

Let’s celebrate Brutalism, along with the inevitable graffiti that adorns it, with a final word from Gianluigi Ricuperati, editor in chief of @novaexpress_mag:

“Brutalism was the blue pill of urban planning for communities and town councils across five continents. It allowed municipalities to build social housing and public buildings with a limited budget and a cultural blessing. The godfather of all architects, Le Corbusier, explicitly highlighted the beauty of “brutal matter,” and in general terms, colors and shapes that look great on a concrete background.”

Council Estate in Újpest.

Flatpack Films has years of experience servicing international brands, agencies and production companies. Filming in Hungary is easy when relying on their knowledge of the market and ability to solve complex needs. They bring the best that Hungary has to offer in terms of unique locations, exceptionally skilled crews, top-of-the-line equipment and technical solutions. Backed by an impeccable track record, Flatpack Films has worked with world-class clients including Samsung, Samsonite, Toyota, Braun, Chivas Regal and many more.

Get in touch and learn more about Budapest film locations, Hungarian film incentives, film tax credits in Hungary and how Flatpack Films can bring your project to life through a highly bespoke approach.

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brutalist_architecture

https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/National_Theatre

https://www.ssense.com/ko-kr/editorial/culture/a-10-building-guide-to-brutalist-architecture

A Martian in Hungary: Lists, Awards, and More!

Recently, the Hollywood Reporter ran an article about the top five Eastern European countries to film in – and save money. Would it be any surprise that Hungary is on the list? This year Hungary is particularly visible, with Oscar forerunners The Martian and Son of Saul having their origins here.

The availability of a world-class studio, in this case Korda Studios, directly outside of Budapest in Etyek, 'Hungary’s Napa Valley,' was instrumental in bringing the production to Hungary. According to the article, it was chosen for the size of its sound stages, 64,3000 square feet in this case, for the infrastructure they could provide, for the expertise of the local technicians and crew, and the hefty tax incentive, which can total up to 30 percent of the production. They had so much space, that they even maintained a small potato farm on the lot, to have access to potatoes at all stages of growth, as called for by the script. Originally slated to be shot in Australia, the production was brought to Hungary (and Jordan) when the film-makers found the conditions more agreeable here.

In addition to prime studio space, there was no shortage extra-curricular activities for cast, who were able to do things like practice indoor skydiving in Budapest at the SkyWard center’s gravity-defying, 260km-wind tunnel. Matt Damon was spotted at several nightspots around town, including one of the more posh ‘Ruin Pubs’ in downtown, Ötkert. In an interview with Showbiz & TV, Damon went so far as to claim he would live in Budapest – if it were an American city: “Oh yes, I’ve been here [in Budapest] for a month, and I adore it. I think this is one of the world’s biggest walking cities, and people are very nice. It’s similar to Prague, where I worked comparably a lot, and I’m delighted. I was just on the phone with one of my American friends yesterday, and when he asked me about Budapest I told him that if this city had been in America, I would have definitely moved there.”

With seven Academy Award nominations, and having already won big at the Golden Globes, including Best Picture and Best Actor awards, the film's association with Hungary will only make the country hotter as a film location.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter