Este’r partners is working on the interior design concept of one of the most popular hotel complexes of lake Balaton.
In the freshly renovated Hotel Marina-Port, the lobby and bar will use natural materials, oak wood and earthy colors to create a cozy yet elegant environment upon arrival. The key words are the harmonious meeting of old and new and affordable luxury.
Design plans on our website: https://www.esterpartners.com/hu/portfolio/hotel-marina-port/
Twelve topics, twelve year-end and year-opening thoughts from Eszter Radnóczy: happy new year from este’r partners and the Estorio team!
2023.
2023 was a year of continuation, reflection and structuring. I think it’s difficult to assess achievements and progress in years, and the professional life of este’r partners can rather be evaluated in periods of a few years. The major work started in 2022 and continued this year, so it was a busy one, full of design work. We have also expanded our team and added new projects to our portfolio.
Balatonfüred.
The boutique hotel created from the renovation of the Rodostó villa in Balatonfüred is another project of ours where we have continued to provide professional support this year. We look forward to the opening of the 5-star villa hotel, a real landmark of the city in its full glory in 2024.
Airport.
The hotel, designed by este’r partners, developed by Wing Zrt, is already starting to stand out at the airport. The 168-room, four-star hotel is being developed to offer affordable luxury as part of the expansion of the TRIBE hotel brand in Europe. Its design is dynamic, timeless, international, long-lasting, with a small eclectic and artistic touch.
Boat.
The Danube Event Boat is one of our unique projects, which is in the construction phase in parallel with the planning and the design. Rebuilding a boat requires different use of materials, due to humidity, movement and the thermal expansion of structural iron. These challenges need to be addressed while designing a huge, multi-functional, one-of-a-kind floating-mobile hospitality venue. It will be an event venue unique in size and also in design.
Italy.
I am very grateful that our work has been recognized by the Italian press this year and that we have been featured in several publications, such as Domus Magazine.
Szentendre.
Szentendre will always be the heart of our professional work, the majority of the design work continues to take place here. In the last 8 years since we moved in the villa, we have filled it to the point where we are almost running out of space. We still love working here because we are surrounded by a creative, elegant and green environment.
Opera.
Music and opera have become part of the Estorio’s life since it opened nearly 2 years ago. We have also announced a call for entries for the Budapest Design Week, the winning textiles were based on quite fascinating ideas and were awarded by the Opera’s press.
Hotel.
Hotel planning is a special field within interior design. We are not only involved in the design but also regularly in the construction. At the beginning of the year, we opened the completely rebuilt community spaces of the former Artotel Budapest (now known as Park Plaza Budapest), where we were responsible for the project management and the general construction.
Zazie.
One of our favorite projects completed this year was Zazie Bistro, which opened at the Mol Campus.
It was exciting to design a bistro with a relaxing beach vibe in a modern office setting, behind a long glass facade. The atmosphere of the Kopaszi-gát bay has inspired the space where flow experience leads you to the tables, like landing on a small sand dune on the Danube.
Estorio.
Estorio will celebrate its second birthday this year, in 2024. 2023 has been about strengthening Estorio’s activities: we have built many business relationships and friendships in the industry and we have also further deepened our cooperation with our partners. We’re also delighted that Estorio’s sales have been so successful.
We have organized many inspiring workshops and events, and have signed exclusive distribution agreements with Valcucine, Flukso, Dutch Wall Textile and Cosy International.
Team.
Our versatile activity requires a real teamwork, where colleagues with different competences and know-how support each other.
Naturally, this also means a division of tasks and a clear definition of responsibilities.
2024.
2024 will be a year of fine-tuning to continue our success. I am confident that after our short break, we will be able to continue all the projects we have started, recharged and filled with fresh travel experiences, and the new year will bring new things!
Zazie Bistro&Bar, the new restaurant of the MOL Campus, was realized based on the interior design concept of este’r partners. Operating as a café in the morning, a bistro during the day and a casual bar in the evening, at Zazie you can experience a real sense of flow: nature shines through not only on the large glass surfaces but also in the interior, you can relax in small bays in the cozy lounge area and have lunch or dinner in cool restaurant booths.
The interior design team has focused on the Danube experience, as they explained there are very few restaurants in Budapest where you can sit near the river during a long lunch or a night out. The MOL Campus also has a unique feature: while the modern high-rise building designed by Foster+Partners of London has a contemporary style, it overlooks the former factory buildings of the Buda Danube district, continuing the bay of Lágymányos. Modern glass surfaces, stunning views and an old industrial quarter in the distance are coupled with beautiful natural features: pampas grasses dancing in the wind, a green riverbank and sunshine.
The idea behind the design was to blend the urban, modern features of the building and its surroundings with nature to create an intimate, inviting, light interior where visitors can take a break from workdays and relax.
“When designing the restaurant’s interior, we were inspired by paddling on the Danube: the river flowing beneath you at a calming slowness as you enter the reeds and discover new, small worlds everywhere. We wanted to capture this experience through the design: a space that gives you a sense of calm, comfort, yet it is vibrant, no matter what time of day you arrive,” says Eszter Radnóczy, interior designer and lead designer.
When you enter, you can literally hug a tree in the café area: whether you’re working on your laptop or just in for a work meeting, coffee and pastries enhance the experience. You can enjoy a unique lounge area in the restaurant’s bay: comfy sofas, wicker lamps, natural colors and materials.
A very special openwork material, a burnt hollow decorative brick from Mutina factory, covers the entire interior wall of the restaurant, which runs parallel to the outer glass shell and separates the kitchen area from the dining area. Above the large, flowing, curved wall, textiles are floating on the ceiling.
The concept of the flooring also evokes the paddling experience, where a reddish circular mosaic of many small circles flows into a large-scale terrazzo flooring and leads the guests all the way to the back corner. This flow is framed by a uniquely patterned colorful carpet evoking the bubbling Danube, designed by este’r partners and created by the Italian factory Radici. The tropical floor tiles, symbolizing washed wood and recalling the bay of Lágymányos, blend into this solid yet multi-colored mix of materials.
Each table in the restaurant has been designed to offer a different experience, with the option of curved booths or arbor seatings. And the area dedicated to exclusive events is in an elevated unit: a fresh design and a space for private conversations, with the same panoramic view.
In the restaurant area, the eye is drawn to the custom-designed upholstery, created by este’r partners with their own pattern designed on the Italian textile brand, Flukso’s materials. The dynamic pattern is balanced by pinkish-peach tones, with the columns covered in a soft cushion-like covering at the bottom.
At Zazie, the design experience flows, rocking us on the waves of the river, it feels good to arrive.
Photo: Csaba Villányi
Este’r partners designed a high-end apartment for their client in the exciting industrial environment of Budapest’s 11th district. In an interview, interior designer Csilla Szabó shared some interesting details about the project.
What is so special about this industrial part of Budapest, where the newly planned apartment is located?
As the historical records show, in the second half of the 19th century the milling industry developed significantly in Budapest, and several large steam mills were built. It was during this period, in 1879 that the Gizella Mill was built on Soroksári Street in the 9th district of Budapest, designed by Károly Bachmann, commissioned by the Krausz-Moskovits family. After the change of regime, the mill was listed as a historical monument, the interior was demolished in 2000, and then in 2009 office buildings, a hotel and residential apartments were built inside the remaining walls. This is where our client bought a loft apartment, which was designed by the team of este’r partners and where we worked on the interior design execution all the way to the handover of the project..
What was the client’s request and what was the starting point for the project?
The structural design of the apartment with exposed brickwork inside, ground floor and mezzanine floor, stairs, terrace was suitable for a small office; the owner requested a change of function to convert it into an apartment for himself. In terms of design, simple, modest interiors were the main focus, which was a real joy for us, as we could keep the emphasis on the space. However, the most important aspect was to achieve a unique look with subtle elements in the space. The spatial structure provided us with a fantastic basis for our work, the challenge was to create residential functions along the inner gallery (an area without frontal windows).
Tell us about the spatial structure, the division of the space, the room layout.
We planned to keep the original spatial structure but develop the apartment function: the windows on the double level illuminate the living room, we did not plan a wall in the open space structure, the owner requested the kitchen function on the ground floor to be created with windows, so the ground floor guest room/study room was designed without windows, and on the ground floor there was also a utility room and a bathroom with sauna. Opening up the interior room, connecting it as much as possible to the large space, and defining it with large sliding glass doors were also important design considerations.
The upstairs guest bedroom is also designed as an interior room and although the upstairs bedroom has a small window facing the Danube, both rooms have been designed to maximize the amount of light from the gallery through a glass wall.
In the design of the corridor with walk-in closets connecting the rooms, transparency and the maximum amount of light from the gallery were also key factors.
What exciting solutions did you implement in the living room? What makes this space unique?
On the one hand, the internal glass and lamella wall system on the gallery level, which encloses the upper level and enriches the original spatial structure.
In the original space, which was bordered by exposed brick walls, a single large white painted partition wall seemed strange in the space, so a mural was painted on this surface to break through the wall and extend the space.
The lighting was the most exciting task in the vast space of the living room, replacing the previous industrial lamps and designing lamps that are rarely used in residential spaces due to the lack of ceiling heights. These lamps are delicate, light, airy and blend almost imperceptibly into the space.
How does a special spiral staircase and brick wall transform the apartment?
The original staircase was retained for cost-effectiveness reasons, and it also functions well, being comfortable, wide, and good at breaking up the angularity of the space, as well as having a sculptural effect. The brick wall in its original condition was not suitable for the owner, so we replaced and repaired the missing and damaged elements, and impregnated the surface. In the completed apartment, it became a prominent and dominant element of the space, which no longer required the use of other decorative interior elements.
Tell us about the unique solutions for storage and lighting.
With a restrained, more geometric use of architectural lamps, the principle of less is more works throughout the whole concept, including the lighting. In the interior room on the ground floor, we designed a carpet with custom-made graphic illuminated with adjustable lighting on the ceiling.
In the living room, the suspended linear lighting from the vaulted ceiling appears as a bracket on the brick wall surface, but there are no fixtures on the unique brick wall, we installed them on the floor.
Storage solutions include a number of exciting elements, such as wall-mounted hall and kitchen furniture, or custom storage units covered with full length mirrors in the bathrooms – these do not actually look like furniture in the space.
What makes this apartment truly a ‘Budapest home’ and gives it an ‘este’r partners style’?
We have utilized the existing elements of the renovation of the historic industrial mill, focused on its structure and finishes, while preserving its architectural character, and this has been supported by the interior design from start to finish with unique elements and solutions to create a cozy atmosphere for our client in this exceptional space. We agreed to complete this project with the contractor, keeping a constant eye on costs, preparing and delivering this apartment during the most difficult period of the construction industry in recent years, so I can honestly say that this is our work as the team of este’r partners in every aspect.
Eszter Radnóczy was invited by the Italian Trade Agency to visit the Marmomac exhibition in Verona. During the unique trip, besides the finished design products, the professional team could also get an insight into the stone processing process and even visit the quarries above Verona, which are still the cradle of stone production in Italy. Eszter Radnóczy, lead designer, wrote a short report on the trip.
“Marmomac is the world’s most important world fair for the stone industry, dedicated to the entire stone production chain, from the quarry to the processed product, from technologies and machinery to tools. It is no coincidence that Marmomac is being held in Verona, as the area is one of Italy’s most important quarrying and processing areas with a long history, and has been considered a raw material base since Roman times.
The training course included a solid professional programme. We attended lectures on the history of the earth, geology, stone formation and classification, igneous to senimentary and metamorphic rocks (crystallized from the previous two). We learned about the process of stone processing, highlighting and credibly analyzing its environmental impacts and the international regulations and sustainability requirements introduced to avoid such impacts. We deepened our knowledge of the methods of use and treatment of stones. The industry in Italy places great emphasis on innovation and training and this was well reflected in what we saw at the exhibition.
We met directly with representatives of the quarries as well as many manufacturers who use the purchased material to create not only cladding, but also complete domes, facades and consumer and design products. It was good to get an insight into the international business as a whole and to learn about the processing and the commercial chain.
We visited the long-established Margraf factory, where, despite robotisation, manual processing and carving is still used for unique pieces. The factory is involved in major architectural projects on all continents of the world. There are still several active quarries in Italy. If there is no longer any production or usable rock, the owners have to rebuild the terrain to the original topography and vegetation.
We traveled to the valleys above Verona which were covered by the ocean 180 million years ago, and some undersea currents formed surface rocks allowing humans easy access to them. At the Grassi Pietre quarry in Pederiva, a very porous yellow sedimentary rock is excavated, the perfect material for Palladian buildings and their carved sculptures. The deep underground quarry is now a museum where we could try our hand at stone carving. We also visited the excavation of the red stone, rosso di verona, also much used in Roman times, at Cava Fasani in Luogo di Grezzana.
Words cannot describe the wonderful journey, but the pictures speak for themselves when it comes to the grandiose moments and experiences.”
The Budapest Design Week, which is 20 years old this year, provided the framework for the textile design competition, which was announced by Estorio showroom and Italy’s leading textile company, Flukso. The three prize winners were able to present their applications on 13th October for the audience, Eszter Radnóczy, interior designer and Estorio founder and Raul Scruzzi, Head of Business Development of Flukso appreciated the first-placed Réka Cserveny’s work.
The goal of Estorio, which launched the tender, was to inspire graphic designers to create a textile pattern, in which the magical world of the Hungarian State Opera and the Hungarian opera music also plays a prominent role. Their partnerin the tender was one of Italy’s leaders textile company, Flukso, which produced high-quality fabric and unique printing provided them with technology.
The winner textile will be exhibited with the name of the winning designer in the Estorio showroom together which is located in Dalszínház street, in the neighborhood of the Opera House. The design also had to take into account the colour scheme and style of the showroom, and it was important to ensure that the series of patterns or designs would fit into the Estorio space.
Second prize winner Krisztián Balogh’s work was inspired by the sphinx sculpture in front of the Opera House, combining it with soft colours and eye-catching india patterns. The third place winner, Enikő Balogh, transformed the dancers’ movements into a repetitive graphic pattern. The first prize winner presented a very exciting piece of work: Réka Cserveny took the architectural floor plan of the Opera House and creatively transformed it into a textile pattern that showed playfulness and met high aesthetic standards.
Interior designer Eszter Radnóczy said, “We were impressed by Réka’s work, the way she turned a creative idea into a very usable, unique design. The usability of the pattern was very well thought out, in the high level textile design represented by Flukso such a design is very applicable, it feeds on a specific motif system, but can also function as an abstract pattern.”
The afternoon continued with a round table discussion announced as part of the Budapest Design Week programme. The invited guests, András Almási-Tóth, Artistic Director of the Opera House, Móni Kovács, founder of Komonka textiles and Adrienn Nagy, Assistant Professor and founder of the Rienne brand, were guests of Eszter Radnóczy, who discussed the relationship between art and interior design.
It was pointed out that interior design cannot be separated from art, and traditionally they have been closely co-existing fields. András Almási-Tóth shared with the audience that after the renovation, the Opera House wants to offer a complex experience on all levels (from arrival to departure), not only the space but also the mindset has become more open. Eszter Radnóczy explained in detail how their showroom, opened a year ago, is connected to the elegant world of the Opera House, and what are the sophisticated features that make the space suitable not only for design lovers, but also for celebrating with a glass of prosecco in the apartment overlooking the Opera House before or after an opera performance. Further analysing the relationship between interior design and art, Móni Kovács spoke about the biggest changes in the textile industry in Hungary, the decline of weaving mills and the decline of the manufacturing background, and told that abroad it was considered a speciality that he was able not only to design but also to realise textiles. Adrienn Nagy added that in this country it is difficult even for university students to meet the quality that even a woman’s costume could offer in the great era of textile art. Sustainability was a prominent theme in the discussion: circular thinking gives us the chance to reintroduce into our lives the works of previous eras that need to be revisited.
Among the visions for the future, all the interlocutors stressed that supporting art, finding artists can only be the first step, the aim is to create higher quality works, unique artistic expressions, designed for realisation in domestic conditions, in interior design – the intention, openness and connection of designers and creators is already a given, a joyful starting point.
There are milestones in every company’s life. Our work, the interior design of Hotel Oktogon, Budapest in Design Street is one for us: a magazine that we have loved and followed every since, a voice in design we have always found worth listening to. What an honour – thank you!
A professional experience of visiting KALDEWEI factory in Ahlen, Germany, creator of shower trays, bathtubs or washbasins. Steel enamel is not only their material but also passion that moves them with maximum precision, timeless design and technological innovation.
Thank you for organizing this trip for us, David Várkonyi!
World Design Day was celebrated by Budapest Design Week in a very inspiring milieu: Hungarian female designers and CEO’s from the design and architecture sector had the chance to discuss the future of design – from a woman’s perspective.
As part of this conversation, Eszter Radnóczy shared her opinion on woman leadership in design, the need for resilience and the possibilities AI holds for the creative sector. As Eszter said: building your creative dreams has never been so challenging, also, never so exciting and full of possibilities.
Every year we are happy to join the beautiful brand, Villeroy&Boch’s summer party, but this time it was very special. 275 years of history, elegance and timeliess design was someting to celebrate: excellence in ceramics was cherished by este’r partners team, too. We enjoyed a presentation of the Villeroy&Boch factory’s history and also was mesmerized by their surprise – a piece of history of 275 that vwe could take home.
