The prestigious award was won by the historic building, which has undergone complete reconstruction in recent years, in the category of Monument Restoration and Building Rehabilitation.
“The award for the renovation of the Csokonai National Theater building also shows that Debrecen places great emphasis on, preserves, and protects its built heritage,” Deputy Mayor István Puskás said at the press conference held on site on the 15th of January, 2025.
As he said, “This building is a true emblem of this, the renovation of which was completed about a year and a half ago, and the result is a building that combines contemporary solutions with the preservation of the built heritage.” He added that this is not the only building in the civic city to receive the Award of Excellence, as in previous years the Aquaticum Strand, the Debrecen International School, and the Life Sciences Center building of the University of Debrecen have also received the award.
The city leader reminded that the Debrecen local government launched a program last year specifically for the preservation of built heritage, which will continue this year. As he said, “The previous year saw the launch of the project to renovate the apartment building on the corner of St. Anne and Batthyány Streets, which the city is supporting with a significant amount of 200 million forints. He noted that similar cooperation is planned with the Svetits apartment building in 2025.”
István Puskás emphasised that in addition to these, increasing the number of locally protected buildings and expanding local protection is a priority task. He highlighted that their goal is to protect and preserve the city’s built heritage, adding that the Csokonai National Theater has become a real community space for the people of Debrecen, which shows the country, the world, and ourselves what it means to be a citizen of Debrecen.
The press conference was also attended by designer András Tisza and CEO of HUNÉP PLC, Miklós Bakos. Miklós Bakos recalled that the renovation of the theater was a special task for them from the moment they took over. As he said, “The reconstruction of the building with a history of 150-160 years was not an ordinary project, and from the first minute, all their cooperating partners, subcontractors, and their own colleagues approached the work with this discipline and devotion.” He noted that the renovation was also a great challenge from a professional point of view, since they were installing technologies that are very rarely encountered not only by themselves but also by the European construction industry. Miklós Bakos mentioned as an example the world-class stage technology and all the technical solutions that belong to the top category in theatre.
Architect Péter Kovács recalled the past and said that the building of the Csokonai Theater, which was opened in 1865, was designed by a young architect, but the construction technology and technical equipment of that time were not so advanced, so certain disadvantages remained as time passed. “The theatre itself is an institution that is undergoing continuous transformation in its genre; it has to meet many criteria, including how much it wants to meet the current era,” he noted.
Director of the Csokonai National Theater in Debrecen, Szabolcs Mátyássy was unable to attend the event in person due to illness, but he sent a letter to the participants. In it, he wrote, among other things, that the renewed theatre will attract visitors not only with performances but also with guided tours led by theatre artists. “Just as our viewers can experience the age of dualism and the elegance of the old Debrecen in the auditorium, our theater’s technical staff can work with modern stage technology that meets the needs of the 21st century every day,” the Director highlighted.
