Architects: SKARDELLI György, BORBÉLY András
The sports centre, wedged in between office and residential buildings of different style and age in a narrow downtown street, serves as a recreational sports facility for all age groups and it can be used as the venue of different events as well. The building has a unique, double facade that provides adequate natural light to the interior spaces located both above and under the street level according to a kind of functional hierarchy.
The new sports centre has been built in place of a residential building assigned for demolition owing to structural damage. It is located in the historic city centre of Budapest, where the organic urban fabric has been formed by buildings of different character, built in different ages. The sports centre offers the so far lacking possibility of physical excercise for the residents of the district and those who Awork here; it is a venue for communal events and also a facility for the schools of the district for physical education. Its potential users include everyone who wants to keep fit, from young children to pensioners.
Vadász Street is very narrow, its width is only slightly more than 9 metres. Owing to the unfortunate proportions, the buildings get only very limited sunlight. The double facade of the sports centre improves this situation, the width of the street is significantly increased, by a 1/3 ratio, along the whole building. The inner wall, bordering the large interior spaces, and the external glass facade, built flush with the walls of the neighbouring buildings, enclose a 3,40 metre wide lightwell. This space provides natural light, starting from the first basement level along the whole height of the building, even for the swimming pool area. The interior wall has an important bracing function, emphasized by its special design resembling bundles of muscles, which also refers to the sports function of the building. The external facade is a light, glazed structure which lets the light into the lightwell area between the two facades. The glass surface consists of panels adjusted to the grid of the facade, adorned with blocks of text burnt into them. The text blocks are formed by the name of the building written continuously, in small letters. This texture creates a delicate pattern on the glass facade, reflects and filters the incident light. The climbing walls, built at the two ends of the lightwell, enhance the uniqueness of the design.
The building has three main groups of function. There are public areas on the ground floor: reception and access control, cafeteria, public toilets, lobby and multifunctional rooms that can be connected to the lobby and used as venues of different events. The street practically continues in the building; depending on the program, the events can spill out into the street as well. The ’wet’ functions are located underground, on five basement floors. The 25 m long swimming pool with four lanes is located on the second basement floor; there is also a teaching pool built as a gallery protruding into the airspace of the pool area. Mechanical installations for the pools occupy the third basement. The fourth basement accommodates the reception area of the swimming pool, changing rooms, a wellness unit, a jacuzzi, a thermal pool and different types of saunas. The ’dry’ functions are located above ground, on four floors. The larger rooms get natural lighting from the lightwell. On the first floor, there are different changing rooms, a first aid room, two massage rooms and two multifunctional rooms that can be connected. The sports hall with a school-size basketball court is located on the second floor. There is a gallery protruding into the airspace of the sports hall, equipped as a gym. On the fourth floor, a fitness centre has been established with the latest equipment, making use of the interior courtyard as well. Mechanical installations are also located on this floor. There is a paved roof terrace on the top of the building.
Vadász Street has been completely rehabilitated, including the limitation of vehicular traffic, new ornamental paving and rows of trees. The ornamental pattern of the internal wall of the sports centre appears as an imprint on the pavement.
Location: Budapest V., Vadász utca 30. Built: 2020 Architects: SKARDELLI György, BORBÉLY András Area: 3870 m2
