O'donnell + Tuomey Central European University, Budapest, Hungary

Phase one of a complex project in the centre of Budapest showcases the Irish duo’s talent for surgical interventions in a historic fabric. Traditional materials are coupled with contemporary spaces in a successful attempt to turn an architectural interior into an authentic part of the city

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FROM THE ARCHITECTS’ PROJECT DESCRIPTION

This is the first phase of a campus master plan for the Central European University. The project changes the relationship between the university and city. Phase One provides a public face for the university, a new entrance on an axis with the Danube, a library and learning café for citizens and students. The campus becomes integrated with the urban realm.

Our brief was to design a new 35,000 m² campus on a World Heritage site in central Budapest, incorporating all university departments and facilities. The scheme involves the radical transformation of five adjoining and previously disconnected historic buildings and the construction of two new ones.