Archetech Issue 78 2025 | Page 22

ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS

NATIONAL ATHLETICS STADIUM HUNGARY

NAPUR ARCHITECT KFT
The National Athletics Stadium was established on behalf of the Hungarian State as the starting building for the long-term urban design of the Budapest South City Gate development. The stadium was designed by NAPUR Architect Kft., the winner of the design competition. The construction was carried out by the construction consortium ZÁÉV Zrt. – Magyar Építő Zrt.
The main elements of the planning are the new Athletics Stadium and Park to be built on the site of the Vituki industrial site in Ferencváros, the planned new pedestrian-bicycle cable bridge connecting it to the summit of North Csepel, and the new Athletics Training Centre accessible through it. The three project elements together aim to help the development of the area with an urban design vision. The design of the building and its appearance were created in honor of the queen of sports, and athletics, therefore the architectural design of the stadium is an untouchable Antique classic white crown.
Athletics Stadium building was completed in 2024. The temporary upper stands of the stadium were removed and replaced by a 15,000 square meter covered open and illuminated leisure park called the“ Open City Ring”, on which a running track, family jogging track, streetworkout, training area and street food service were created. The goal was to create a stadium with a large capacity for World Championships, but in subsequent periods as open as possible for mass sports and athletics youth in a way accessible to everyone 365 days a year.
The presented building is the first“ Open Arena” in the world to achieve this. In September 2024, the first open program was held in the building, where the“ Open City Ring” leisure park was presented as a new recreational place for Budapest.
In accordance with sustainability aspects, the project was implemented by eliminating the brownfield industrial areas of the southern Danube bank of Budapest and by rehabilitating its entire 20-hectare area. The goal was to create a new, open sports and recreational multipurpose athletics stadium and public park for sports enthusiasts and city dwellers who want to relax. In the center of the park, the building of the Athletics Stadium was built in competitive mode for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest with a capacity of 35,000 people. After the World Championships, the basic mode design of the
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