Liget City

One of the largest sites in Budapest waiting for development is located in the 7^th district, in Erzsébetváros. An international idea competition was created in order to renew the area of unique potential in the capital city. The final plan will be created probably by merging the best competition plans. Bánáti + Hartvig Architecture Office also participated in the competition.

The plans of BH were created corresponding to the requirements of the Contracting Authority, creating a dialogue with the architecture of the environment. Design aspects were to loosen the built environment and to enlarge green areas, furthermore to preserve, emphasize and renovate with adequate function the industrial area’s significant architectural heritage, which is squeezed between previously suburban residential buildings. The existing function of the buildings remain in the plans, and according to the investor’s vision they are supplemented with a dormitory, in order to serve the surrounding higher educational institutions in the area.

The life of the block between Rottenbiller, Damjanich, Gábor Bethlen and Dembinszky Streets was a burden until lately, because of diverse characteristics. The site was in the hands of several owners, which did not enable to develop the site uniformly and at the same time, furthermore the regulation plan does not support the complex design of the block. The mentioned barriers seem to disappear due to the fact that the site got in the hands of one owner, whose purpose is to renew the site based on a uniform concept.

It was not imaginable to develop the site without demolishing the buildings which lost their quality, this way the demolition was based on the valid permit plans of the former owner, and was carried out in a way that did not affect the buildings under heritage protection. BH created its competition plan – which was handed in – by considering this renewed area.

Although Liget city reflects the name Városliget, which is nearby, but it is not connected to the public park, and it is not related to that investment.