diller scofidio + renfro to design hungarian transport museum in budapest

UPDATE: on may 7, 2020, it was confirmed that the new hungarian museum of transport in budapest, designed by diller scofidio + renfro (DS+R), will be built as planned. over the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic had cast doubt on the continuation of the project, however, thanks to government support, the museum will now move ahead. DS+R’s proposal was selected ahead of 12 other entries, including submissions by foster + partners and gmp architekten — who both received honorable mentions. the winning design seeks to preserve the site’s industrial heritage, while renewing the former diesel hall of the hungarian state railways to function as the museum’s new home.

all images © diller scofidio + renfro

DS+R, who developed the concept alongside local firm teampannon, plans to extend the existing building with a new hall that connects internal and external areas with a floating roof structure — under which exhibition spaces and a multi-level urban plaza are housed. this offers views into the museum, attracting viewers from the streets and transportation hubs nearby. the new hall highlights the industrial features of the interior spaces, while the rooftop provides sweeping views of the site and its surroundings.

‘the new home of one of europe’s oldest museums of transport will be designed by one of the most renowned architectural studios as a brownfield redevelopment,’ says general director of the hungarian museum of transport, dávid vitézy. ‘an internationally outstanding center of knowledge will come into existence with new community spaces and high quality services on the seven-hectare site at the corner of könyves kálmán boulevard and kőbányai road.’

the decision to relocate the museum was made by the hungarian government in december 2017. with 10,000 square meters of space, over twice the size of the old location, the new permanent exhibition will show the history of hungarian transport and its international impact through the display of several original vehicles and artifacts. the new building complex will house a similar sized storage of artifacts, a technical library, a documentation center, and a technical restoration base.

meanwhile, the institution’s former home will be completely renewed as part of the liget budapest project. read more about europe’s largest urban-cultural development on designboom here.

project info:

architect: diller scofidio + renfro
local architect: teampannon
client: hungarian museum of transport
location: budapest, hungary
status: competition winning proposal