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KÓS, Károly Architect, Graphic Designer (Temesvár, 16th December 1883 - Kolozsvár [Cluj], 24th August, 1977)   Kós was one of the greatest, school founding figures of Twentieth Century Hungarian National Architecture, and had a strong influence upon a number of following generations. His oeuvre, which consisted of a number of genres, was related in location primarily to Transylvania and also to Budapest before the First World War. Between 1902 and 1907 he studied first at the Engineering, then the Architectural Faculty of the Technical University of Budapest. During his university years he was a significant member of the group of university students labeled the Fiatalok /Young/, which group was tied together by their similar fascination with the models provided by architects such as Ch. R Machintosh, F.L. Wright and the Finnish Lindgren-Gesellius-Saarinnen. The group also had the common goal of making use of the motifs and traditions of the ancient and folk architecture of Hungary in the formulation of a Modern Hungarian Architectural Style. Having lived in Budapest since 1902, the artist moved back to Transylvania in 1918, where he soon became the most significant figure of the art of Transylvania, a modern sort of polihistor. Even though he considered himself primarily an architect his oeuvre also contained a large number of graphical works. Kós also worked as a writer and a book designer. As a historic-building protection specialist, he also partook, as the head of restoration, in the restoring of a number of eminent churches and residential buildings in the area of Transylvania. Besides these activities Kós played an important part in the formation of the intellectual life of the period following the First World War. In 1907 he traveled on a study-tour to Transylvania with the scholarship of the Hungarian Ministry. Besides his drawings and sketches prepared during the trip, the summarization work entitled Erdély népének építészete /The Architecture of the Transylvanian People/ (Budapest, 1907) also held great significance. Between 1907 and 1908 he worked for a number of different architectural offices (e.g.: Móric Pogány, Gáza Maróti), where he participated in the compilation of competitive designs. His personal career began in the year of 1908. He received a number of commissions, one after the other: 1908-1909: Református parókia és imaház /Reformed Parish and Chapel/ [with Dezsõ Zrumeczky] in Óbuda; 1908-1909: Római katolikus templom /Roman Catholic Church/ [with Béla Jánszky] in Zebegény, here the glass windows portraying Mary Saint Steven, and Saint Elizabeth were also prepared by Kós. In 1908 he prepared a residential building for his parents in Kolozsvár. Between 1908 and 1913, together Dezsõ Zrumeczky he designed a number of the pavilions of the newly rebuilt Zoo of Budapest, under the venture of Neuschloss Knüsli Kornél, that is the Bird's House, the House of Deer and the Bison, the House of Pheasants, the House of Rodents, the House of Cats, the House of Giraffe, the Norwegian House, and the Poultry Run. Kós produced some of the most significant architectural works of the beginning of the century. For instance the Kispest, Wekerle, munkás- és tisztviselõtelep fõtere és több fõtéri épülete /Employees' Housing Development of Kispest, Wekerle, and a number of the buildings on the main square/ (1909-12); Marosvásárhely, Gázgyár, központi épület és munkáslakóházak /The Central Building of the Gas Factory in Marosvásárhely and the surrounding residential buildings for workers/ (1909-13); 1910: tisztviselõtelep, lakóház /Employees' Housing Department, Residential building [together with Ede T. Wigand], in Kolozsvár; 1910: Városmajor u.-i elemi iskola /The Elementary School of Városmajor Street/ [with Dénes Györgyi], Budapest; 1911-1912: Székely Nemzeti Múzeum, /Székely National Museum/ Sepsiszentgyörgy; 1912-1913: Monostori úti református templom, /Reformed Church of Monostor Road/ in Kolozsvár. One of the buildings, which was later considered one of the symbolic pieces of the oeuvre of Kós, the Varjúvár /Crow Castle/, of Sztána, was prepared during this early period of his, in 1910. He prepared the plans for the crowning hill, at Saint György's Square, in Buda, for the crowning of Károly the 6th, in 1916. He settled down in the studio-house built by him in Sztána, in 1918. Within the changing political and intellectual atmosphere he became a sort of leader of the cultural and political life of Transylvania, and participated in the organization of a number of unions, which later became important representations of the Hungarians living in Transylvania. His pamphlet-like writing entitled Kiáltó Szél /Shouting Wind/ was published in 1921. In 1924 he was one of the founding members of the Erdélyi Szépmíves Céh /Fine Arts Manufacture of Transylvania/, which dealt primarily with book publishing. Two years later he partook in the founding of the literary periodical of the manufacture entitled Erdélyi Helikon. In 1930, together with Sándor Szolnay he founded the artistic group named the Miklós Barabás, which dealt with the organization of exhibitions and the publishing of related publications. A majority of the oeuvre of Kós was constituted of graphics, produced with not only architectural topics, prepared with pencil, and chalk, and also consisting of wood and linoleum engravings. The majority of these works were published on the pages of the periodicals, and then later as independent publications. Strong, vibrant tones, highlighted contours, massive forms characterized his style, as well as a variety of spaces demonstrated through homogenic colors. His depiction of buildings recalls his own style of architectural design. His figures dressed often in historic disguises or folk garments also signal his return to folk art and traditions. His individual graphical works were often depictions of buildings, the majority of these picture designed buildings that were either erected, or remained plans on paper. Examples of such works are for instance the Reformed Church of Magyarbikal and the Reformed Church of Magyarvista, of 1908; the House of Arts, the residential building designed for his parents, the Varjúvár, and the Church Design, all from 1912; 1933: the Hunter's Dwelling of Csucsa, and the Visky Porta /Visky Manor/ of Kalotaszentkirály; 1933: School in Magyarvalkó; he also prepared the designs of the reformed church plans for smaller dwellings, such as Siklód and Magyarkályhán (1947 and 1948). A separate portion of his graphical works consisted of stage designs: two series for the piece of Aurél Kárpáti entitled Kõmûves Kelemen /Kelemen the Bricklayer/, of 1919 and 1933, furthermore for pieces such as the Budai Nagy Antal of 1937, and the Csáki biro lánya /The daughter of Judge Csáki/ of 1941. Besides his graphical works he produced a large number of literary works such as the Attila Királyról Ének /Song of King Attila/ (1908), Székely Balladák /Székely Ballads/ (1909), Varjú nemzetség /The Varjú Clan/ (1925), Erdély /Transylvania/ (1929), Gálok /The Gall/ (1930), Országépítõ /Nation Builder/ (1934), Budai Nagy Antal (1936), and the Kolozsvári testvérek /The Brothers of Kolozsvár/ (unfinished). He often prepared illustrations for his own writings (Erdély népének építészete /The Architecture of the Transylvanian People/, 1907; Sztambul, 1918; Erdély kövei /The Stones of Transylvania/, 1922; Erdély /Transylvania/, 1929; Az én világom /My World/, 1909; Lakóház mûvészete /The Art of Dwellings/, 1928; Régi Kalotaszeg /Old Kalotaszeg/, 1911; Varjú nemzetség /The Varjú Clan/, 1925; Budai Nagy Antal, 1936; Atila Királról Ének /Song of King Attila/, 1908; Székely Balladák /Székely Ballads/, 1909). The publicist style of Kós came to its true fruition during the course of the 1930's; his forums consisted of a diverse range of Transylvanian literary, architectural, and agricultural periodicals. Amongst his architectural writings his articles advocating modern architecture, and depicting the values of folk architecture were very significant (e.g.: 1928: A modern architektúra - stílustalanság,  /Modern Architecture - Lack of Style, Erdélyi Helikon; 1930: Új Építõmûvészet - jegyzetek a budapesti XII. nemzetközi építészeti tervkiállításhoz /New Architecture - notes for the 12th International Design Exhibition held in Budapest/, Erdélyi Helikon; 1929: A székely ház /Szekély House/; 1944: A székely nép építészete /The Architecture of the Székely People/; 1945: A falu középületei /The Public Buildings of the Village/). Kós also designed a number of significant buildings during the period spanning between the two world wars: 1923: Írisz porcelángyár /Írisz Porcelain Factory/, Kolozsvár; Schools and Dormitories; 1928: Református népiskola /Reformed People's School/, Marosvécs; 1929-1930: Református elemi iskola /Reformed Elementary School/, Sepsiszentgyörgy; 1943: KALOT székely népfõiskola /The People's College of KALOT Székely/, Csíksomlyó. Following the Second World War his public role was similar to that following 1919: he participated in the political life of the region as a member of the Magyar Népi Szövetség /Hungarian People's Alliance/, and published in a number of partially literary periodicals. His architectural activities may be categorized according to three main categories following the year of 1945. As a member of the presbytery of the reformed church district of Kolozsvár, he designed churches and residential buildings for priests, of which a number were prepared as ideal plans. As a teacher of the Agricultural College of Kolozsvár (already during the period spanning from 1943 to 1952), his activities related to the theoretical and pragmatic aspects of peasant agriculture were greatly significance. He wrote a number of pedagogical books for the college on ideal peasant small-scale farming (e.g.: Falusi Építészet /Village Architecture/, 1945; Mezõgazdasági Építészet /Argicultural Architecture/, 1957). Furthermore, as a member of the Erdélyi Magyar Gazdasági Egyesület (EMGE) /The Hungarian Agricultural Society of Transylvania/ he designed buildings for exemplifier study farmsteads and collective farms (his designs were published in the technical periodical entitled Erdélyi Gazda /Smallholder of Transylvania/). He actively participated in the monumental building preservation work of governmental firms located in Bucharest, from the 1930's. Following a number of reconstruction tasks of monumental buildings between the two World Wars he continued his restoration activities following 1945. At the commission of the Reformed Church he designed a number of churches and parishes: 1947-1948: restoration, enlargement, and construction of a new tower for the Reformed Church of Körtvélyfája; 1948: Reformed Church [with László Debreczeni], in Kolozsvár-Írisztelep; plan of the reformed church of Siklód; Mortuary, Szamosújvár; 1953: Reformed Parish, Nagypetri; 1956: Reformed Church and Prayer House, Egeres-Ferencbánya; 1960: Plan of the Reformed Parish in Magyardécse; 1957: Restoration and building of a new tower for the Reformed Church of Magyarvista; 1960: Reformed Parish, Farnas; Reformed Parish, Magyardécse; 1961: Reformed Parish, Misztótfalu; Reformed Parish of Kalotaszentkirály. A separate group of his plans consisted of the designing of cultural centers e.g.: 1936: Cultural Center of Körösfõ; 1945: Cultural Center of Györgyfalva; 1947: Cultural Center of Kispetri; 1957: Plan of the Cultural Center of Köröstárkány. He undertook a significant role as an architect in the preservation activities of monumental buildings in Transylvania from 1930's. Amongst others the Reformed Church (1936), and the Bánnfy-kastély /Bánffy Castle/ of Bonchida were restored, as well as the Mátyás király szülõháza /birth place of King Mátyás/ in Kolozsvár [with Géza Lux] (1943). Further monumental restorations, which took place under his specialist guidance, were the Reformed Church of Szék [with Géza Entz and József k. Sebestyén], (1946), the Reformed Church of Körtvélyfája (1947-1948), the Reformed Church of Magyarbikal (1957), and the Reformed Church of Magyarvista (1957).