Redefining Budapest [antikvár]

For the development of the Park Atrium Offices we decided to rethink Budapest. Our client, the ING Group in Hungary, made a groundbreaking entry into the Central European market with a green field investment in 1992, and witnessed a spectacular business growth ever since. ING's initial profile of acting as a banking service provider to multinational companie gradually broadened into a full range of corporate financial services, and ING became a market leader in the life insurance segment in Hungai The choice of location for the first corporate head office - a revered historical building in a World Heritage downtown setting - emphasised the client's predilection for traditional values. Throughout the design process our development strategy was to weave ING seamlessly into th< magnificent urban fabric that Budapest readily offered: a city centre with 19"^ century palatial mansions converted into public buildings. When ING Group decided on the development of a new head office in 2001, the spirit of the time called for a bold and extravagant concept. Our client was a well-established, leading financial service provider with nation-wide branches, and with strong potential growth ahead. They obviously needed a building that is conspicuous, innovative and flexible at the same time, accommodating to unpredictable future growth. As one of the earliest urban development projects of the 21'* century in Budapest, the architectural landmarks of the capital, therefore we needed a site with a prime loci the more important, as we wanted to firmly anchor our project in the traditional ur The turn of the millennium brought along the culmination of a property boom in V existing office centre locations or making a leap towards establishing the suburbar on our hands to define our own location nucleus. ntury in Budapest, the building had all the potential to become one a site with a prime location and the freedom to experiment. Prime ict in the traditional urban structure of the city, f a property boom in the office segment; other developers were bu ablishing the suburban office market. We had a substantial and prL îÂlili^luc^e What did Budapest have on offer? retrenmri^ BUUSpeST The traditional downtown area, while recovering from fifty years of negligence that state and council ownership imposed on it, was already showing faint signs of development strains, enforced by traffic congestion and the dismal lack of parking space. Although there was and still Is a healthy zest of street level development - guality restaurants, cafés, shops, galleries popping up, young, up-and-coming residential population jazzing up derelict apartments - the city centre is apparently short of resources to sustain a modern office development. Downtown Budapest Is gaining momentum to become residential, rather than commercial. Along the magnificent Danube embankment there are a number of potential development sites. However, most of them are in the middle of derelict land, awaiting thorough urban development schemes. The ING head offices project was large, but not nearly on a magnitude to carry the extensive development task of urban renewal. We were also worried that the city government is lacking sufficient resources that are needed to bring public transport and infrastructure to the riverside area in a foreseeable future. bring public transport and infra; The new growth corridors, carvi remain in transition from traditi manifestation of the underlying that our project must stand asic ut of the urban structure along metro lines, provided plenty of office development sites, but their character I factory sites to mass produced, mediocre back office functions. These office boulevards are a visible cess of the labour force in Budapest moving from blue to white collar jobs. None the less, we clearly asserted om the context of 'transition'. The City Park area came into our focus in the final stage of the conceptual process. This large park, dotted with amusement establishments - the Budapest Zoo, the Amusement Park, a traditional public spa - and cultural venues - the Museum of Fine Arts and the Palace of Arts - was the most spectacular fIn-de-sIecle development project in Budapest, part of the millennial celebration, marking the foundation of the Hungarii state a thousand years before. The City Park is a historical, yet not a traditional office location. Its lush green in the summer and glowing autu foliage could provide not only a magnificent contrast for a large building, but also a relaxing vista for those who would work here. We could create the first 'office park' surroundings, not in the furthest reaches of the urban sprawl, but right at the perimeter of downtown Budapest, a mere five minute ride or fifteen minute walk from the heart of city centre. The site we ulUmately acguired provided us and the architect a remarkable opportunity to create a truly outstanding landmark project. The 25.000 m^ building is clustered around two atriums that unanimously help soften the long façade and allow natural daylight to penetrate the office areas. The bridges across the atriums were designed as spaces for constant interaction: sitting areas, meeting and presentation rooms relaxing coffee corners. They are what we call the 'synergy points' of a building where the hundreds of employees, working in different busine units, can find a place to interact, where business ventures renting their offices here, can create the focal point of meeting their clientele. For the passers-by and visitors, Budapest Park Atrium Offices Is a new symbol of the city's business strength and prosperity. Park Atrium Offices succeeded in redefining Budapest. András Elekes, managir ING Real Estate Hungary