The Hungarian Government has decided to continue the design process for Diller Scofidio + Renfro's new Museum of Transport in Budapest. During the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic cast doubt on the continuation of the project, and this latest news is a sign of support for the team's planning, design and preparatory work necessary for starting construction.
As the new home for one of the oldest transport museums in Europe, the project will be sited in a former railway yard, using the idea of ground transportation as a central organizing principle. The design de-familiarizes ground by excavating, lifting, and cutting to produce unexpected environments. DS+R will be working with Hungarian partner Teampannon to bring the new Transport Museum to life. Charles Renfro, partner of Diller Scofidio+Renfro, said that, "The project aims to preserve the historic structures while reviving them for community use. The site’s vast footprint, unique spatial organization and impressive industrial monuments all present a unique opportunity to have a great impact on the city. Our design aims to showcase the beauty of this historic site with modern means and contemporary architectural concepts."
The Museum of Transport previously left its former home in Varosliget, and the government of Hungary decided to relocate the museum to a seven hectare area located in a Kőbánya, a former industrial area in Budapest. The design features a new Forecourt that will include outdoor galleries, a picnic area, bosques, a café, a children’s playground, and outdoor spaces for the community use of the Törekvés Cultural Center. The museum’s collection will also spill out into the Forecourt: locomotives and carriages will be displayed in a series of breakout vitrines at the western facade of the Gallery Hall, blurring the line between the museum and the public realm.
News via Hungarian Museum of Science, Technology and Transport
