Blue fence.

Closed operational area, entry is forbidden.

Anyone who visited the Siófok harbor in the past knows that the lock system -“plug of Lake Balaton”- formed an island closed off to the public.

Nowadays, the site offers a completely different experience.

The story begins with the unavoidable modernization of lake's water level regulation system. Since the 2000s, Lake Balaton’s water levels have been characterised by extreme level fluctuations. The most striking aspect of the investment was the reconstruction of the 75-year-old Balaton lock system.

In 2017, our office was invited to assist in integrating the planned engineering facilities in Siófok into the urban context, both architecturally and in terms of landscape design. The main question was: how could the two big waterworks, the heavy-duty concrete quays and the control building, be integrated into the resort and leisure port center?

Our definite answer: "public space".

Let’s open the island, make it accessible, transform it into a multifunctional community space, where the major waterworks will be physically perceptible. Let people learn how the water level regulation system of the "Hungarian Sea" works. Let industrial activity and the beauty of the Balaton coast pulsate together in a lively, vibrant, inviting environment.

The water locks structures, the Sió Canal and the perspectives offered by Lake Balaton invite visitors to engage in multifocal observation.

We positioned the control building between the two locks: while professional work takes place inside, the rooftop serves as a large viewpoint. Visitors can ascend the cantilevered roof's steps to take in the panoramic view of Lake Balaton’s northern shore and observe the two hydraulic structures from an unexpected perspective.

In front of the control building, we designed a model where both children and also adults can interactively simulate the lake’s water level regulation. The building’s heating and energy supply are ensured by a geothermal energy pumping system supported by solar panels, maintaining an average operational energy balance of zero.

The visual identity of the public space draws from industrial aesthetics, emphasising that the island is a peaceful domain connecting society with water management and ship harbour activities.

The benches in the park were crafted from recycled steel sheet piles left over from the construction of the embankments. In the northern part of the park, we placed a spatial composition made from reused steel trusses from demolished old hydraulic structures, incorporating panels that graphic display a comic-style history of the locks.

From an urban planning perspective, our goal was to establish, the new water lock public space should serve as a catalyst, revitalising life in Siófok and positively influencing the environmentally conscious use of surrounding areas.

The blue fence is gone.