Faurest, Kristin: Ten spaces - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2010)
Kós Károly tér
Kós Károly tér Some of the squares in this book were formed accidentally, as coincidental interstitial spaces created more by default than conscious planning. This square, in the heart of the Wekerle Estate, is clearly the centre of a grand plan. The century-old Wekerle Estate is quite beloved to this day, and it's easy to see why - it is the idyllic embodiment of a sustainable, liveable city neighbourhood. The concept takes all basic human needs into account: it is beautiful, human-scaled, comfortable, walkable, green, with public and private open space in equally-generous measure. It is made for walking and biking; cars feel like an unnatural intrusion. It is an example of sustainable development, conceived and completed decades before the expression even existed. It is connected to the city's metro and bus system, and just dense enough to feel like it’s part of a real city, but spacious enough to feel rural. The small-scale domestic gardens offer the opportunity for growing one's own produce, which of course comes with its own economic and environmental advantages. It isn’t far from some of the city’s bleakest neighbourhoods, yet it is so idyllic, with its verdant yards and well-maintained ■ Kóó Károly tér in itó early days 63
