KÂROLY KaoS (1883-1977)

Architect Kâroly Kös was the leading representative of the Hungarian Art Nouveatt and National Romanticism in the early years of the twentieth century. Hisapproach to architecture was influenced by John Ruskin and William Morris. He opposed mass production and propagated individual solutions inspired by folk architecture. He was interested in the medieval art but did not imitate it. From such sources however, he drew principles of proporlion, form and solutions of architectural details. His buildings feature elements of folk architecture from Kaloiaszeg region, as observed in an apartment house in Budapest (1908-1909). Among his most important achievements are: the church in Zcbegcnyi village (1908-1909), inspired by medieval forms, a pavilion in Budapest zoological garden (1910), derived from folk architectural forms; a complex of school buildings in Budapest (1910) with stone arches at the entrances, characteristic for Kös, the National Museum building in Scpsiszenlgyorgy, Romania (1911-1912); reformed church in Kolozsvar (1913), family home (Crow's Castle, 1910). Apart from his architectural activities, he wrote and illustrated books: Songs about KingAtti/a, Stones of Transylvania, Kalak's Calendar, Nation of Crows. He taught architecture in Agricultural College in Kolozsvar till he retired. His life was very active and he never left the people of Kaloiaszeg, his chosen motherland. He wrote: the snow buries my traces, but a wooden plaquet will never disappear from my grave, and flowers will always bloom on my grave. And land my forefathers will be remembered by my relatives. They will continue my work and my life will be in them eternally. Because I remained at home.