BME Sports Centre - Budapest - Hungarian architecture

The building is in the middle of the campus of the Technical University of Budapest. With the partial remodeling of a forty-year-old laboratory house a new, more than 3000 m² sportcentre was created. The development started in 2012, when the big basketball arena and the training rooms above was built. Two years later more aerobic rooms were added in the basement. The architect was Levente SZABÓ and his team; the original plans were made by Elemér NAGY (KÖZTI, 1974-75).

leading architect: Levente SZABÓ - Hetedik Műterem Kft. cooperating architects: Orsolya ALMER, Jessica DVORZSÁK, Bence KERTÉSZ, Anna KORMÁNYOS, Orsolya SIMON, Tibor TÁNCZOS
year of design/construction: 2011/2012
photography: © Tamás SZENTIRMAI, © Balázs BIRI, © Balázs DANYI

The facade of the building from the Bertalan Lajos street does not tell much about the eventful life inside. One is invited into the building through the bending black roof and the comfortable concrete stairs from east side of the sport complex.

A whole new world can be discovered by stepping in the front door: vivid colours, dynamic spaces and unified interior design matches the function. You can completely see through the Sport Centre along the glazed surfaces from the foyer. The same visual connection can be found on the second and the basement floor between squash, aerobic courts and foyers, between the gym and the big court.

Walls were lined with a wooden grid in front of glazed surfaces in the basketball arena. The grid protects, separates, but at the same time allows transparency. The walls and the floor are white, black or in vibrant colours: good combinations with the natural surfaces.

The function works perfectly in the neighborhood thanks to the very good architectural program and the sober redesign of the building. The BME Sport Centre is a perfect example for sustainable architecture and re-usage with its simple but strong character.

text/translation: Adrienne MARXREITER