Richter Centre, Budapest

Architects: Gábor Zoboki, András Csiszér, Éva Oláh, Judit Besey, Arian Choroomi
Text: Anna Zöldi
Photos: Dániel Dömölky

Gedeon Richter, the founder of the Hungarian pharmaceutical industry, has done an incredible amount of work to establish, develop and also to make the Hungarian pharmaceutical industry famous worldwide. Today, Richter is one of the most internationally successful Hungarian companies, which is also consciously developing its industrial site in Kőbánya. In addition to its 13-hectare site there, in 2000 it purchased the adjacent abandoned 14-hectare industrial site, where it prepared a large-scale development as a greenfield investment. In 2007, the Chemical Research and Office Building, which is also a prominent feature in the ZDA portfolio, was inaugurated as the first component of the office block, and the new headquarters of the company has been completed just now, in 2024. Rooted in the company’s history and tradition, the architectural concept of the new building is based on three main guidelines: that of functionality, innovation and moderation. The design of the interiors has been targeted to create ideal working conditions, with a maximum rationalisation of space and a focus on public spaces and a generous pedestrian circulation system to facilitate contact between employees. Innovation, as a key concept in the pharmaceutical industry, is present in the building through the structures and technologies used, the quality of building materials and the way in which they are used and operated. The whole project is framed by a modest and restrained approach, which contemplates a timeless appearance without compromising on high quality.

Client: Richter Gedeon Ltd.
General planning: ZDA – ZOBOKI Architects
Lead architects: Gábor Zoboki, András Csiszér, Éva Oláh, Judit Besey, Arian Choroomi
Architects: Dávid Bánsági, Csinszka Cserháti, Endre Finta, Richárd Borzák, Bonifác Galgóczy, Attila Fekete, Anna Jaczó, Krisztián Seidl
Realization plans: Mihály Nagy, Zsolt Híri, Tímea Bálint, Márk Jankovics, Zsuzsa Hegyi-Fábián, Viktória Istók, Kristóf Mihályi, Regina Nemecz, Tamás Oláh, Marcell Tamaska, Bianka Rigó-Vezse, Ibolya Végh – Vision Architects
Interiors: Linda Erdélyi, Virág Anna Gáspár, Balázs Korényi, Dávid Székely, Blanka Bató, Alexandra Kis, Dávid Páncsics, Anna Beketova, Katalin Bartha, Zoltán Szegedi, Dóra Gyarmati, Diána Németh, Judit Nyerges, Guangrui Wang, Angéla Heringer, Nóra Ferenczi – Lab5 Építésziroda
Landscape: János Hómann, Máté Pécsi, Bernadett Hómanné Huszti, Eszter Ripszám , Wang Xiao – OBJEKT Landscape Architects