The construction of the House of Hungarian Music – being built as part of the Liget Budapest Project – has entered its final stage. A time capsule commemorating the construction was placed at the centre of the building. The general public will be able to visit the institution before Christmas 2021.

Today is a festive day: the time capsule placed in the centre of the building aims to record the time of its construction for posterity – said László Baán, Ministerial Commissioner for the Liget Budapest Project, speaking at the event. He added that the message for posterity was placed at the centre point of the structures 80-metre-diameter roof, which is also the starting point for sound-wave-inspired floor pattern.

 The construction of the House of Hungarian Music enters its final stage. The building will open in December. (Photo: MTI/Zoltán Balogh)

László Baán noted that the House of Hungarian Music was designed by the world-famous Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto – in partnership with the Hungarian M-Teampannon – is being built next to City Park Lake, near Vajdahunyad Castle and the Ice Skating Rink, on the plot of the former dilapidated Hungexpo office buildings. “We weren't the only ones to recognise the genius of the building,” stated the Commissioner. The structure was named the best international public building at the prestigious London International Property Awards in 2019, and in 2020 received the top award for the world’s best music-themed development at the Music Cities Awards. At the beginning of 2021, both CNN and the World Architecture Community named it one of the year's most anticipated buildings.

The House of Hungarian Music has received several international awards (Photo: Városliget Zrt.)

András Batta, the managing director of the Hungarian House of Music, said that the capsule contained a wide selection of music, the main documents connected to the design tender, the construction and the concept of the institution, and “relics” connected to the building, and press releases. The story of the development project, for example, has been recorded through the news articles published by the MTI, while milestones are noted through the newsreels of the M1 TV channel.

A storage device in the capsule contains 25 pieces of music related to Hungarian or performed by Hungarian artists, including Hungarian folk songs, Gregorian music, and the works of Bartók, Haydn, Bach, Beethoven and Liszt, as well as Tamás Cseh, Európa Kiadó, Tankcsapda, and Ákos.

Both László Baán and András Batta emphasized that the House of Hungarian Music aims to bring the rich Hungarian musical tradition closer to all its domestic and foreign visitors. The institution will offer unique content through interactive permanent and temporary exhibitions based on 21st-century technology, music pedagogical workshops, and music-related events, including outdoor concerts.

“The House of Hungarian Music will be unique by realising the triad of exhibitions, live music and music pedagogy under one roof. It will guide visitors through the realm of music through a diverse range of events. The building's underground level is an exhibition hall, which modernises the traditional museum experience through technological solutions. The permanent exhibition will offer a comprehensive overview of music history through the most important turning points in the European and Hungarian history of music. The temporary exhibition space will house an exhibit honouring the recent history of Hungarian pop music,” said András Batta, the institution's managing director.

A diverse range of events will await visitors, visual (Photo: Városliget Zrt.)

He also emphasised that alongside the temporary exhibitions, the sound dome will ensure a unique experience. The hemispherical space created unique sound effects through unique sound projection techniques. Newly discovered talents and popular performers will be invited to perform on the ground floor or the outdoor stage.

The first floor will house music pedagogy and the pop culture digital library. An experiential music education centre will be established here, offering a comprehensive range of events, especially for school groups and children. The institution will be unavoidable in teaching both popular and classical music.

The director noted that the interior of the building was being fine-tuned and the concert auditoriums built. The institution will open to the general public before Christmas 2021.

Source: MTI | Abridged in translation

Cover photo: Time capsule placed in the House of Hungarian Music (Photo: MTI/Zoltán Balogh)