Armuth Miklós - Lőrinczi Zsuzsa (szerk.): A Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem Történeti Campusa (Budapest, 2023)
HAUSZMANN Alajos élete és munkássága - The Life and CEuvre of Alajos HAUSZMANN Kalmár Miklós - Kiss Zsuzsanna Emília
2 6 0 'S) < ü Q Z < The central building (1906-1909) of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in Lágymányos (a southern district of the capital on the Pest side) is one of Hauszmann's most widely recognized work. Other well-known buildings by him are the secondary grammar-school in Zombor (today: Sombor, Serbia 1882-1886), the girls'upper school in Sopron (1884-1886), the TeacherTraining Institute in Budapest (1883-1884) and the Pädagogium in Krisztinaváros (a district in downtown Buda) housing a state-run teacher training college for secondary and primary education. As a prestigious architect, Hauszmann cultivated the conservative trend of the versatile fin-de-siécle Hungarian architecture and had a preference for historicism. His most important designs were realised when the modern 20th-century tendencies of architecture started to take effect. He felt most comfortable during the very last stage of Historicism when historical forms did not restrict architects to the extent they had had before: they were now more freely variable allowing for the appearance of ornaments heralding Art Nouveau. His career evolved in the latter half of the 19th century and his successes as an architect soon earned him promotion to get to the top. The functions he had in the technical university at the very beginning were instrumental for his professional progress. He was a charismatic person admired by his fellow architects and colleagues. He recognized the merits of young architects he worked with who had a brilliant career later on: namely, Kálmán Giergl and Flóris Korb, both of whom represented youthful impetus and renewal besides their ageing master. From 1913 on Hauszmann's foundation supported and sponsored young architects graduating from the Technical University. Alajos Hauszmann had undertaken various public functions and was widely active in public life too. For shorter or longer periods he had been the member and alternatively chairman of such bodies as the National Council of Public Projects, the Association of Fine Arts, the Association of Hungarian Engineers and Architects, a member of the management of the Municipal Public Projects Council and the National Council of Fine Arts, Technical Education and Public Health Service Council, the National Central Savings Bank as well as the technical counsellor of the Hungarian Red Cross Association. From 1924 on he was an honorary member of the Hungarian Academy of Science. He had been awarded the Great Order of Franz Joseph Great Cross , the Pro Litteris et Artibus medal founded by the emperor in 1887 as well as the Order of Theiron Crown third class. Recognizing his work as the designer of the Coburg Palace, the Belgian king honoured him with the officer's cross of the Order of Leopold. Appreciating his activities as an architect, the town of Szombathely awarded him hoNo.rary citizenship. He was a corresponding member of both the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Vereinigung der im Reichsrat Vertretenen Königreiche und Laender. He was awarded the gold medal of the national Industrial Chamber as well as the Grand Prix of the world exhibition in Paris in 1900. In 1918 he was given a title of nobility. Hauszmann was also significant as an author of specialist literature. He edited well-compiled and richly illustrated publications presenting his most important buildings such as the Palace of Justice, the Technical University and the Royal Castle. Completing a rich oeuvre, Alajos Hauszmann retired at the age of 67 and died in 1926, aged 79. His body lay in state in the building of the Technical University in the aula he designed for the institution. Marcell Komor (1868-1944), a well-known architect who was Hauszman's student and then his fellow-architect commemorated the master on the 50th anniversary of his "architectural career" in 1914 as follows: "...he may as well recognize about himself in peaceful contemplation that he had been so active and efficient throughout his career that simply can not be surpassed by a human being..."
