ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN COMPETITION – AWARDED PURCHASE
Higher education that reflects always renewing and enduring Reformed values requires a modern, prestigious built environment that is attractive to a broad audience. The new university building serves as an intellectual center within the existing valuable urban fabric. The building is simultaneously open towards the city, offering shared, leasable, easily accessible spaces, while also creating well-protected, safe educational and learning zones. The arrangement of the complex is defined by layers of communal, semi-private, and intimate spaces, as well as the continuous visual connection to the surrounding green park. Most of the neighboring heritage buildings and outstanding architectural works are block-like in form and characterized by brick architecture, either on their entire facades or in their ornamentation. The presence of brick represents an important tradition that the new building proudly continues. The internal backbone of the complex is a longitudinal atrium that guides the visitor from the main entrance towards the areas for learning, serving as a venue for events, encounters, and community life. Connected to this area are the brick classroom blocks, the large-span auditoriums and the sports center, all featuring flexible interior layouts. The Üllői Road wing accommodates the café, restaurant, library entrance, and main entrance, with terraces on the roofs, and a discreet tower marking the chapel. A key element is the structural and conceptual preservation of the protected building on Kinizsi Street: its load-bearing structure, brick walls, and steel elements are considered valuable and not materials to be demolished. New staircases and elevator cores enable compliance with contemporary standards, while the historical character coexists harmoniously with the new building blocks. The interior design relies on light colored, natural materials, complemented by wooden details and subtly reinterpreted Reformed symbols that strengthen identity and a sense of belonging. KÖZTI’s design was awarded a purchase prize.
Year of design: 2024 Lead architect: CSÍZY László
