The unique roof of the House of Hungarian Music has been completed. The organic design of the building will make it one of Budapest's newest tourist hotspots – announced Jászló Bán, Ministerial Commissioner of the Liget Budapest Project. The rippling wave of a roof grows and ebbs in thickness under the canopy level of the City Park, blending perfectly into its natural surroundings – writes Városliget Zrt. 

László Baán emphasized that "with the completion of the upper level the House of Hungarian Music is structurally complete. Further construction works are progressing on schedule: the multi-story, at places 12 meter high glass-wall facade is being built, and will be the largest such wall in Europe. The institution constructed as part of the Liget Budapest Project will serve as an exhibition and performance venue and also a place of music education. The creation of the House of Hungarian Music in itself symbolizes the goals of the Liget Budapest Project: a comprehensive renewal of City Park's green spaces in a way that redefines the cultural institutions within the park based on 21st-century standards."

The playful roof structure remains under the canopy level of City Park, blending into its surroundings  (Photo: Városliget Zrt.)

The roof has been finished. The building is structurally complete.

The palace of musical wonders has entered a new chapter, and the complete structure clearly showcases the organic vision of the Japanese architect, Sou Fujimoto. "The House of Hungarian Music will open its doors as a globally unique place of musical education at the end of 2021", – announced László Baán in connection with the milestone.

Benedek Gyorgyevics, CEO of Városliget Zrt, drew attention to the fact that "myriad of engineering and design solutions previously unseen in Hungary can be seen in the unmistakable sight of the House of Hungarian Music. There are basically no parallel elements in the roof, no right angles, everything is unique. The surface of the roof is broken up by 100 individually designed holes, through which the trees of City Park can be seen. Another innovative element of the structure is also connected to these, they are the sources of the light wells that take natural light several stories down into the structure, illuminating its interior spaces and lending them a unique ambiance."

 

There are no two parallel elements in the roof nor right angles. One-hundred individually designed holes puncture its surface (Photo: Városliget Zrt.)

In addition to office spaces, the top floor will house the educational facilities of the building: classrooms, a digital library, and studios will support educational work. An experimental music education centre will also be created that will offer unique programmes to schoolchildren in both classical and popular music.

Benedek Gyorgyevics also emphasised that "the house of Hungarian music will be an environment-friendly building, emphaiss was lain on renewable energy sources and special heating and cooling solutions in the design phase. 120 ground probes have been placed in a smaller area of the neighbouring large green of city park that will provide geothermal energy to the building. The probes have already been deployed, gardenes are currently growing fresh grass on the area, which will be re-opened to the public soon. The cooling of the building will also be unique and economical. Cool air will be provided from the ice store of the nearby ice skating ring."

Construction continues to progress on the lower levels as well. Mechanical engineering and electrical works are currently underway, as drywall elements are also put into place. The underground level of the building will house exhibitions in a characteristic and exciting exhibition space, designed with modern museum technologies in mind.

The invisible wall of the House of Hungarian Music under construction (Photo Városliget Zrt.)

The permanent exhibition will offer an overview of Hungarian and European music through its most important figures and turning points. The first temporary exhibition will dive into the last 50 years of Hungarian popular music. The same level will house the so-called sound dome. The dome-like half-sphere will house specially designed technology to create unique acoustic effects.

The function and mission of the House of Hungarian Music

The institution will serve musical initiation and bring the rich history of Hungarian music closer to all its foreign and domestic visitors through a comprehensive content offering. Interactive permanent and temporary exhibitions powered by the newest technologies, music education workshops, and musical and music-related events, as well as open-air concerts, will popularise the venue.

"The House of Hungarian Music will be unique inasmuch that it will serve to unite the triumvirate of exhibitions, live music and music education. The colourful offering will guide visitors into the wonderful world of music through several levels: the underground floor will house exhibitions, where an interactive and technologically advanced permanent exhibition will guide visitors through the history of music," – said the Ministerial Commissioner.

The ground floor of the building will house the auditorium and other performance venues, including an open-air stage, where pop music bands and new talents will be given the opportunity to play. A top floor will house the library and music education workshops. 

The new institution will operate as a comprehensive venue for music initialisation. (Photo: Városliget Zrt.)

"The House of Hungarian Music will also play its part in education. A group of experts have been tasked with formulating the educational goals and curriculum of the Institution" – stressed András Batta, head of the professional working group of the House of Music. "A programme of music education that is in line with the latest trends of museum pedagogy to ensure the efficient operation of the House. Something becomes an experience when it becomes a part of the person who experiences the sounds and sights, the experience as whole, so that they can draw upon it in the future. That is why it is so important for our visitors to truly experience everything they encounter at our exhibitions" – added András Batta.

The building will house a wide range of games and experiences for children, from instrument labs and instrument-making workshops, through composing, conducting, singing or playing music together or dancing. Trained museum and music teachers will be on-premises to support, but school teachers will also be able to lead their classes if they wish.

Sou Fujimoto designed the building (Photo: Városliget Zrt.)

Teachers will be able to choose thematic paths through the exhibitions and download educational materials from the website to prepare themselves and their students.

Hungarian House of Music instead of dilapidated office blocks

Last year the House of Hungarian Music won the best public building prize at one of the world most respected international architecture competitions. The new building is being constructed near Vajdahunyad Castle and the Ice Skating Ring in City Park, where the old office buildings of Hungexpo used to stand. The cordoned-off area of nearly 10.000 square metres will now be reopened to the public, including the 3000 square metre House of Hungarian Music and a large swath of new greens.

The building designed by world-renowned Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto (Hungarian partners: M-Teampannon) specifically aims to create visual continuity between internal and external, natural and artificial environments to maximally serve the unique demands arising from the function of the building. 

Source: Városliget Zrt.

Cover photo: Structurally complete House of Hungarian Music (Photo: Városliget Zrt.)