Architect, the most important architect of Temesvár, who develops the image of the modern Timişoara.
He is born at Szalonta (today Salonta, Romania), his father is a constructor master and entrepreneur in constructions. For four years he had attended the courses of the reformed gymnasium in his native town; then he goes to Igló, and his last three gymnasial classes are attended at the Reformed College in Sighetul Marmaţiei. He continues his studies at the Polytechnical University of Budapest, the department of constructions. Quarterly, he is the disciple of professor Hauszmann Alajos, specialised in the art of the baroque construction or in the Renaissance art, whose training influences the artistic language of Székely László. After he obtains his diploma, he continues his studies in Italy and when he returns home he is invited by Czigler Győző to become an assistant lecturer at the faculty, where he works from 1901 to 1903.
In 1902, the director of the technical institution in Temesvár (today Timişoara, Romania), the chief engineer Szilárd Emil, suggests the employment of an architect at the town-hall, considering that the town strongly needs this in its phase of development. In this respect, the mayor of Temesvár, Telbisz Károly, asks the opinion of Professor Czigler Győző, and the latter proposes Székely László. The young architect accepts the new function but only if he is allowed to open his own design office. He asserts himself through hard work, he is an example both in the accomplishment of the tasks at the town-hall and in his activity at his design office. He is entrusted serious tasks and ambitious projects. He designs both public institutions, schools, sanatoriums, industrial buildings, and mannor houses, villas and private houses. He belongs to the group of architects defined by multiple and complex knowledge. He contributes to the creation of the architectural image of Temesvár town not only due to the buildings designed by him but also by means of those locations whose projects he supports and certifies in time.
One of his complicated professional tasks consists in the preparation of the projects regarding the slaughter house in Temesvár. In his work he shows great talent when combining the practical and utilitarian aspect with the contemporary aesthetic and technical demands. He gets more and more monumental projects to carry out such as the Hungarian Credit Bank, the waterworks, the children’s asylum in the town, the forest high-school, the Orthodox Church in Piaţa Traian, the stockings factory, The Brück Palace, The Emmer Palace.
In 1909 the town sends him to study abroad in order to approach the contemporary practical aspects regarding the hospital’s construction. He is also asked to pay great attention to the public baths in the occidental towns. Given these studies, he designs the public baths in the town, known as the Neptune Palace.
His contributions in the domain of architecture are also remarked by the representatives of other towns, thus he is entrusted a series of special tasks: he designs the great building of the town-hall in Szalonta and the state real gymnasium in the same town, and in Vrsec the Serb orthodox Episcopal cathedral. He develops solid relationships with the management of the Serb orthodox church therefore he is entrusted both to renew the Episcopal palace in the Losonczy square, Temesvár, and to outline its facade again.
The main creation of architect Székely László is represented by the massive complex of buildings delimited by three streets and composed of the charitable gymnasium, convict and the church in Temesvár, whose projects he prepares in 1907. The festive celebration of its foundation takes place in March 28, 1908, and the complex of buildings is finished in 1912. The current main square in Timişoara, the Opera Square, is also considered as belonging to the creation of Székely László as, on the one hand, he was entrusted to design the location and, on the other, the buildings situated here were erected due to his projects (The Neuhausz Palace, The Dauerbach Palace, The Hilt and Vogel Palaces, The Széchenyi Palace, the building of the Chamber of Trades and Industries).
His professional development is interrupted by the outbreak of the World War, which stops his enthusiasm in the area of constructions. In 1922 he wishes he were pensioned, giving up his function as the architect of the town. Then he works as a private architect. His last significant creation is the palace with three floors in the centre of the town named the Hungarian House, which is built between 1929 and 1930 as a result of the collaborations and sacrifice of the Hungarian people living in Banat. Székely László gives up his honorarium and designs the building for free. This is the place where the local Hungarian institutions, such as the Hungarian Association of Songs, Temesvár, the Association concerning the Hungarian Education in Banat, the “Arany János” Society and temporarily the library exert their functions.
Considering the architecture of the town, he represents the most relevant creative identity. The most productive stage of his creation is marked by the first decades of the XX. century when, in a fast rhythm, through the absorption of the remote districts, we get the modern metropolis, which opens the way to a spectacular development.
Given the stylistic elements, the buildings designed by Székely László can be grouped in three main categories: he uses and combines both the props of the historical style, the Hungarian type Secession and those elements and typical solutions of modern architecture at the beginning of the XX. century, which are subsequently canonized by the Bauhaus movement. Székely László dies in 1934 at Timişoara and is buried in the cemetery from the Iosefin district.
Beyond his buildings, which can be still admired, his name is preserved in the succeeding generations’ memory by means of a statue, a memorial stone and the name of a street in Timişoara.
