Etele Square Removes the Roof to Create Hungary’s Biggest Outdoor Waiting Hall

By Land8: Landscape Architects Network on July 22, 2015 No Comments / 6032 views

Continued…

Planning Ahead

The bad news is that if you are planning to visit Etele Square, you’ll need to hurry up — it is only a temporary design. Etele Square will be renovated, along with the metro entrance, to make a comprehensive whole in the future. The current design, which serves its users extremely well, was carried out in such a way as to initialize an organic change in the district. The second phase of the design process focuses more on the long-term value of the space. Etele Square will still be Hungary’s biggest waiting hall, but it will also be able to host events and become a true central gathering point in Budapest. So as not to make the two designs too detached from each other, the designers at Ujirany / New Directions have decided to stick to the modular, carpet-like pavement in their second design. But instead of grassy meadows, we will be roaming between concrete seating and grove like tree plantations scattered around the square.

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Etele Square. Photo credit: Ujirany / New Directions, Tamás Bujnovszky.

The main feature of this design will be an oversized “grass sofa”, which will not only be a focal point of the square but also will diminish the vastness of the open space. The sofa, a hill seated on the black and white carpet, will serve as an alternate resting and play area. Combined with a water-vapor feature and stairs, the sofa will also act as an excellent observatory space for smaller events that will now be able to be offered at the base of the sofa-like hill.

Etele Square. Photo credit: Ujirany / New Directions, Tamás Bujnovszky.

All features of the second design make a nice and exciting whole, giving us the impression of literally being in a waiting hall — but this time with an oversized sofa rather than benches.

It seems as if Hungarian commuters have nothing to complain about, right?

So if you’re planning to design an open space near a station of any kind, think about the poor commuters who sometimes have to wait a little bit longer than expected. Take notes and start designing, because who knows, maybe one day you’ll have to commute yourself.

See The Full Gallery For Etele Square

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Full Project Credits for Etele Square

Project: Design of Etele Square – temporary and final design Location: Etele Square, Budapest, Hungary Design: Ujirany / New Directions Landscape Architects (Dominika Tihanyi, Gabor Szohr) 3D visualization: Zita Sarfanek Design year: 2013 Year of construction: 2013 Area: 7682 m2 Budget: 500 000 EUR Photos: Ujirany / New Directions, Tamás Bujnovszky Show on Google Maps