Look-out and Restaurant on Rose Hill, Budapest

According to contemporary sources:

Ellenzék, 7 October 1941, p. 40.

THE JÓZSEFHEGY OBSERVATION TOWER TO BE BUILT ACCORDING TO THE PLANS OF KÁROLY KÓS

The capital city is to construct an observation tower at one of the most beautiful locations in the Buda hills, on Józsefhegy. The lookout is designed by Károly Kós. The tower will also house the cultural hall of Rózsadomb. A restaurant, rest area, and observation terrace will likewise be built.

…

The building was planned with a reinforced concrete structure, the use of which Kós complained about to Kálmán Tóth. In the same context, he mentions that in 1941 he completed a total of twelve designs, as well as three stable designs. The project itself is documented only through excerpts from his letters to Kálmán Tóth:

“Dear Kálmán, my younger brother,

I received your letter, and at the same time the very kind and reassuring letter from Dörre as well. Forgive me for troubling you, but you know that I sometimes fill my head with strange worries. Not that this would necessarily be an annoying thing, but still I do wonder whether I have truly become an anachronism in my way of thinking. That would not be surprising, since I fell behind the West long ago and since then have thought more than I have progressed in practical terms.

Still, I am very happy that the lookout tower is being built. Of course, I am curious about the final program. I am not afraid of structural changes, because I much prefer working with traditional structures rather than constantly relying on concrete and reinforced concrete. Just give me brick, stone, and wood, and everything can be solved, just as the old masters solved everything.

Here in Kolozsvár the architects are also complaining that reinforced concrete is not allowed, and so on, and wondering what will happen now. Well, let them learn how to build vaults, and teach the masons as well. In my view, one is not truly a mason if one does not know how to do this.

I have just begun building a small family house: the permit was granted in three days because I undertook to build it without a single piece of iron—apart from a few nails and clamps—and of course without concrete or cement. It is no great trick. The roof structure is so well jointed that neither wall ties nor reinforced concrete rings would improve it.

The lookout tower, too, can be built without reinforced concrete ceilings, provided that suitable—cost-free—internal and external modifications are made. Buttresses on the outside, a central column or pier inside; in the restaurant, an internal colonnade, even of oak, with a master beam above it (carved); it would only make it more beautiful. And timber floors. Above the openings, in village fashion, we place wooden beams, and they will stand as long as the wall stands. Or we build vaults. In short, this does not worry me; it can be worked out. One simply has to replace certain modern solutions with more archaic forms in order to apply traditional structures.

I recently counted it up: this year I have produced about twelve designs, large and small. Some of them are quite interesting. Taken together, they form a curious collection, ranging from churches to town halls, and even stables (three of them, though I did not count those earlier).”

(Letter from Károly Kós to Kálmán Tóth, 15 November 1941, in: Péter Sas (ed.), Correspondence of Károly Kós, 2003, pp. 362–364.)