Swallow Castle

Camp leader: Gyula Csontos

In the eighties a few architect students decided to look for alternatives because the taught subjects were not enough in themselves for learning the profession on a really high level. They turned to Imre Makovecz for help, who recognized that what the students needed was some building work…

Many of the old Visegrad campers had by then become acknowledged architects, who also participated in university training. In 2007 the students raised the idea that building camps should be organised. And the old Visegradians took on the task of passing on to today’s students the experience of independent building.

The most important things have not changed since the old Visegrad camps: the students voted on the best design to build, they built it themselves, and if they had any time left, had fun. In 2009
Marianna Kiss’s playground building called Swallow Castle was selected by the campers. By the last hit of the hammer they got closer to getting to know themselves, the reality of the profession and the key to communal work.

During the eleven days they got to know each others’ habits, views of life, attitudes, strengths, weaknesses, they also learnt about their own talents and limits. They experienced the characteristics of materials, the difficulties of using various tools. Ultimately, they got closer to reality.

Gyula Csontos