Nemzeti Atlétikai Központ in Budapest

Post-Games Pergola

A spectacular feature of the Nemzeti Atlétikai Központ is that the roof will be completely preserved after the event – and will be converted into a covered public space.

The stadium is part of a huge plan to revitalise a former industrial site – with a park, a bridge and a training centre.

The Nemzeti Atlé­tikai Központ (National Athle­tics Centre) is a stadium which was opened in June 2023 in the Feren­cváros district in the south of the Hunga­rian capital Buda­pest. It was built on the occa­sion of the 2023 World Athle­tics Cham­pi­on­ship to hold 40,000 seats. After the World Cham­pi­on­ship, the faci­lity on the Danube will be reduced to 15,000 seats for reuse.

The plan­ning was carried out by Napur Archi­tect Kft Buda­pest, the roof by Buro Happold and schlaich berger­mann partner (sbp).

The stadium is part of a huge plan to revi­ta­lise a former indus­trial site (Vituki). In addi­tion to the stadium, this includes a park, a bridge and a new trai­ning centre, which can be reached via this new bridge.

A spec­ta­cular special feature is that the upper tier with its 25,000 seats will be comple­tely dismantled after the World Athle­tics Cham­pi­on­ship, but the roof will be comple­tely preserved — and converted into a covered public space.

Architect

Napur Archi­tect Archi­tec­tural Office Ltd.

Client

ÉKM

Athletics tracks & equipment

Mondo

On weekdays, a running track, a roller skating rink, a street workout park, a training area and a street food service will be available here.

So the legacy of this event is likely to be spec­ta­cular: the Nemzeti Atlé­tikai Központ forms the centre of the new park in the reno­vated indus­trial area, inclu­ding the surroun­ding Danube bank area.

 In addi­tion, Buda­pest will receive a new public sports and recrea­tion park.

The stadium was built in the middle of the park. On week­days, instead of the tempo­rary upper tier, a covered and illu­mi­nated running track, a roller skating rink, a street workout park, a trai­ning area and a street food service will be available here.

The roof consists of a support struc­ture based on the spoked-wheel prin­ciple, consis­ting of compres­sion and tension rings, on each of which two video screens and display boards were hung at the edge of the roof in the curves.

Under the stands there is another running track, which can be used for warming up. All the running tracks are from Mondo.

All the running tracks are from Mondo. MONDOTRACK WS™ is almost half made of natural rubber and non-toxic, recy­cled mate­rials. So it meets the stric­test certi­fi­ca­tion criteria for the emis­sion of vola­tile organic compounds.

In addi­tion to the 14,000 m² running track, the other athle­tics equip­ment also comes from Mondo – for the first time in Buda­pest, it is tail­ored to the visual appearance of the event.

Address

Nemzeti Atlé­tikai Központ
Buda­pest
Hajóál­lomás u. 1
1095 Hungary

Opening

2023

In the future, the roof construction will form a kind of urban pergola, while the interior with its sports areas will serve as a publicly accessible urban space on the banks of the Danube.

The roof cons­truc­tion will be preserved after the compe­ti­tions, as will the entire lighting, sound and score­board systems. This will make it possible to host major inter­na­tional events here in the future as well – with the help of mobile grand­stands.

These mobile grand­stands in the upper tier can accom­mo­date up to 25,000 seats, but smaller capa­ci­ties are also possible. In any case, these tempo­rary struc­tures will be dismantled again after future events, and the vacated area will be returned to grass­roots sports.

The roof cons­truc­tion will then form a kind of urban pergola, while the inte­rior with its sports areas will serve as a publicly acces­sible, urban space on the banks of the Danube and ther­e­fore in the heart of Buda­pest.

The 2023 World Athle­tics Cham­pi­on­ship from 19th to 27th August will be the biggest sports event ever held in Hungary.

After that, it will actually become even more exci­ting.

Photos

Text

Johannes Bühl­be­cker
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