Kalotaszeg Museum and Community Hall, Bánffyhunyad

The collection of artefacts that would form the basis of the Kalotaszeg Museum began in 1933, comprising 678 objects with a total value exceeding 100,000 lei. The exhibition opened on 15 October 1933 in the Reformed “Nagy Ferenc” House, a temporary venue that was later expanded with additional rented rooms.

Kós Károly’s design for a permanent museum bears a strong resemblance to the spatial organization of the Székely National Museum. A rectangular entrance courtyard is defined by two wings: one housing three exhibition rooms, the other containing a large hall. The two wings are connected by a central tower, which would have accommodated the main entrance and the staircase leading to the upper level.

The otherwise restrained façades are dominated by a few emphatic elements, most notably the four-turreted tower, a characteristic Kalotaszeg symbol. In this project, Kós relied on the inner architectural force of the composition, especially the interplay between the tower and the enclosed forecourt (cinterem).