National Dance Theatre, Budapest

Architects: Zoboki Gábor, Orlovits Balázs, Lente András
Text: Dragon Zoltán
Photos: Bujnovszky Tamás

The new building of the National Dance Theatre opened its gates at the beginning of 2019. With a floor area of 6,950 square metres the new dance theatre is a conversion from the E block of the Millennary complex which was in turn originally the former industrial building of the Ganz works after designs by the ZDA – Zoboki Architects. The complex has represented Hungarian dance art since 2001 both in Hungary and abroad, ranging from folk dance to classical ballet, saloon dances to contemporary art to interactive performances for children, with versatile genres meant to upkeep the attention of the theatre-going audience. Gábor Zoboki and his fellow architects are well experienced in creating cultural buildings, their formations well as their reconstruction. Evolved by the 21st century or newly born demands deeply rooted are presented as permanent signatures in works by Zoboki. In this case, the communal function open to everybody is presented by the cafe put forward, the lateral staircase with a square form floor plan, the foyer framed with a gallery, and the stairs reaching beyond which can also be used as an auditorium. During this project, the three-naved basilica-type building preserving the structura of the industrial hall of Ganz works, received a new main facade as well as a foyer, creating an auditorium with a maximul seating capacity of 368 people, a smaller one for 120 people, and two rehearsal rooms (which can be further divided with mobile walls), the chamber room, as well as the ancillary rooms, sound studio and changing rooms.

Lead architects: Gábor Zoboki DLA habil., Balázs Orlovits, András Lente
Assistant architects: Johanna Jánossy, Miklós Heppes
Acoustics: Andor Fürjes
Stage technology: Zsuzsa Tompai
Structure: Zoltán Bencze, Bence Kólya
HVAC: László Berzétei, László Lukács
Electrical engineering: János Sápi
Fire protection: Bendegúz Csuba
Client: Nemzeti Táncszínház
Builder: Millenáris Kulturális Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft.
Main contractor: ZÁÉV Építőipari Zrt.
Architect of the reconstruction in 2001: László Benczúr