The Sipeki Balás Villa at 47 Hermina Road, the headquarters of the Hungarian National Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired (MVGYOSZ), is to be renovated, according to the EU public procurement notice. Built according to the plans of Ödön Lechner, between 1905 and 1907, the beautiful Art Nouveau villa owned by Béla Sipeki Balás, Legal Counsel to the Ministry of Justice (later the Lord-Lieutenant of Zala County and the president of the Association of the Blind) remained in the influential figure's ownership until he died in 1944. It was later owned by Herminamező Parish, the Association of the Blind (the legal predecessor of MVGYOSZ) and the National Association for the Protection of the Blind. In 1953, the association merged with the Association of the Blind, which purchased the church's portion. The building has belonged to the association ever since.

The villa was designed by Ödön Lechner for of Béla Sipeki Balás, (Photo: A Ház, 1908)

The villa in 2017. The facade is also being renovated (Photo: Csilla Halász – Mihály Ludmann – Zsófia Viczián: Lechner összes, Látóhatár Kiadó)

The Sipeki Balás Villa is a striking building. Its gate is always open, its fence artistic. The asymmetrical facade is characteristic, decorated with towers, and its semicircular, steel-structured conservatory immediately attracts the attention of passers-by. According to the MVGYOSZ website, the facade of the building was last renovated in 1973, but since then, due to the ageing of the gutters and the roof, leaks have formed, causing the plaster to blister in several places. The dangerous pieces of plaster were removed in 2014. The bronze chandelier in the hall and interior paint were renovated in 2015 by the association. 

The staircase in 2017 (Photo: Csilla Halász – Mihály Ludmann – Zsófia Viczián: Lechner összes, Látóhatár Kiadó)

The luxurious interior of the villa is only known from archive images. However, the decorations are still there: the fireplace (Photo: A Ház, 1908)

According to a public procurement announcement published on 19 March, the villa is now undergoing a complete renovation. During the work, 2,720 square metres of plaster will be renovated. The fireplace and staircase of the hall decorated with beautiful, bluish eosin glazed tiles will be renovated under restoration supervision. About 700 square metres of the roof will be re-covered. Interior flooring, doors and windows, decorative stone elements of the facade and the gutters will all be restored. The works include the renovation of the garden and the installation of a lift to increase ease of access. 

The Zsolnay eosin-glazed fireplace and stairs are also being restored (Photo: Csilla Halász – Mihály Ludmann – Zsófia Viczián: Lechner összes, Látóhatár Kiadó)

Detail of the balcony (Photo: Csilla Halász – Mihály Ludmann – Zsófia Viczián: Lechner összes, Látóhatár Kiadó)

The building was damaged in the second world war, and part of it demolished. A new wing was built in the 1970s. This will be torn down and replaced with a new wing with another lift. 

The Sipeki Balás Villa stands next door to the Róheim Villa, which is also being renovated. 

Cover photo: Detail of the facade (Photo: Csilla Halász – Mihály Ludmann – Zsófia Viczián: Lechner összes, Látóhatár Kiadó)