Laudation for Péter István Balogh, Sándor Mohácsi and Studio 73

Abstract

Public space is usually a very subjective and controversial phenomenon. Its users often cannot perceive of it as a whole entity. They see those parts which they normally use, or can imagine, when they construct the idea of it in their minds. The problem is that they focus not on the actual usage of the place, but rather on what they would wish to see there. This can be challenging for architects and users as well as for government and local councils managing public space on behalf of society. Leading designers of the landscape architecture office “Studio 73”, Dr. Péter Balogh and Mr. Sándor Mohácsi, must weigh the pros and cons of these tensions. The experiences they have gained and documented during three of their landscape architectural projects have transformed them into “guerrilla fighters”. Nevertheless, the “war” is not yet over.