Madách Square, Budapest

Architects: Platiniumgroup
Text: Vilmos Katona
Photos: Tamás Bujnovszky

After the non-public design tender for students published by the local government of District VII, Budapest in 2012 which invited schemes for Madách Square a new solution replaced formally awarded ideas. Features and facilities of the site include Örkény Theatre as well as the parking space requirements of dwellers and those working in the area which would demand a large-scale revision of traffic here. The majority of plans submitted actually include a new motif of transport, which allowed for the utilization of the area beyond the square and and the arcades as undisturbed rest and recreation zones and a pedestrian passage. It was another important aspect that the square should attract as many people as possible during the times of fairs, street exhibitions and other events associated with the theatre. The design awarded 2nd prize focussed on the elegance and the potentials of the openness of the public plaza. One of the two schemes awarded the first prize interprets the plaza as a filter zone whilst the other treats it as a dynamic composition continuing the design, layout and breaks of the surrounding facades. The plaza installation realized here integrates constituents of each three plans, as well as the street furniture of the design awarded the third prize. The heart of the plaza is taken up by water jets pushing up from the pavement, a motif which was also part of the special-prized design, and this area is bordered by a slope of lawn divided into several islands. The inner edges of the lawn covers offer areas to rest, their tracery showing bays that encourage us to stop or hurry up alternatively. Meant to make orientation easier, this composition partly follows rules of axial symmetry, which is counteracted by irregular contours.

Client: Budapest Főváros VII. kerület Erzsébetváros Önkormányzata
Architecture: Platinium Group Kft.
Architect: Ferenc Törőcsik projektigazgató
Installations: Ferenc Agg, Benedek Agg
Landscape: Péter István Balogh
Roads, traffic: TP-Terv Kft.
Public utilities: Dima Kft.
Main contractor: Parkfenntartó Kft.