*Some words about the baths of the Southern Great Plain region and their thermal water:*

The thermal water resources hidden under the Great Plain are suitable of filling up the human energy reserve, caring about and healing the tired body and refreshing the soul. The thermal and medicinal waters containing alkali hydrogen-carbonate available at several baths of the region (e.g. at Kiskunmajsa, Szeged, Mórahalom, etc.) promise a cure for mozgásszervi and gynaecological problems and various other illnesses. They ensure the recreation of the body and the soul for adults and young people alike who care about their health.

The Recreational and Therapeutic Centre to be established in Zsombó wishes to join and become an organic part of this already existing network of baths.

Detailed information about the history of Zsombó and the life of the village is available at www.zsombo.hu

Ferenc Fejtő: "Creation needs some drops of crazyness."

The philosophy of the block of buildings:*

When we started designing this block of buildings our most important consideration was to ensure that the buildings should not be alien to the landscape. The village is located at the Eastern border of the Kiskunság which have reminded people of two things for centuries, one is shifting sand, the other is much sunshine. The spatial appearance of the thermal bath conveys the vision of sand dunes. The formation of separated buildings, apartmans is purposeful. This symbol system is an important formal language from two aspects.

1.) The historic roots of the region relate to plainsfolk. Before the Turkish occupation it was the home of the Cumans, after the occupation it was inhabited by Jász people. Both ethnic groups was made up of sovereign, free people living from the plain or from soldiering. For both ethnic groups the life spirit of freedom played a central role. The buildings set apart aim to symbolize this.

2.) An extended block of buildings matches the rural environment better. The arch and circle above the entrance of the thermal hotel aims to symbolize the sun rising from the sand dunes. *The functional arrangement of the block of buildings:*

The block of buildings consists of six different parts. These are the following in order from the South to the North:

1.) Thermal hotel in which the medical treatment rroms, the restaurant, the massage room, the various therapy rooms and consulting rooms are located downstairs. The rooms of the guests are on the first floor.

2.) Five buildings with 4-4 independent apartmans. The buildings were built on reinforced concrete legs in order to provide sheltered accomodation for the cars of guests staying for a longer time.

3.) The connecting corridor which is sheltered and covered from the side, this is to enable traffic between the buildings in summar and winter alike.

4.) Dressing room for the sporting hall and the sheltered thermal bath.

5.) Sports court with 500 seats for the audience, which is capable of organizing international games. The court was designed so that it could be split into three independent parts in the dead season. In this way even three trainings can be provided in parallel on these fields. From the aesthetic aspect the wooden space-lattice seemed convenient.

6.) Thermal bath with an indoor sitting pool. The shape of the pool aims to mimic the form of a water plant swimming on the water. Its rack is a lattice rack made of cemented wood.

*Architects:*

Edit Zalányi: Sports court and dressing room

József Liebhauser: architect consultant

Tibor Steinhausz: structural engineer consultant

József Kálmán: Thermal hotel, apartmans with car shelter and the roofed thermal bath

The designs won the first prize of ÉTE (Építési Tudományos Egyesület, Scientific Association of Architecture) in the 1990s.