International competition for the design of the Natural History Museum in Debrecen

On the other hand, Museum staff are almost unanimous in their opposition to the move, many fearing for the integrity of the delicate collection pieces, but many more are reluctant to leave their homes. Since our last report, a feasibility study has been completed. MEGAKOM Kft. and Ex Ante examined how to locate the museum's central building with smaller storage facilities on the former Loki field, a five-hectare site adjacent to the zoo (the larger storage facilities were located a few minutes' drive away, on the Apafa Municipality site).

International design competition launched

Now, the Debrecen Infrastructure Developer Kft. has launched an architectural design competition for the new exhibition building of the Hungarian Museum of Natural History.A multi-stage procedure has been launched, in which 10 invited architectural firms (five Hungarian and five foreign) and four other firms can successfully apply. This will be followed by the actual design competition among those who pass the pre-qualification phase.

The maximum prize available for the award and purchase of entries is 330.000 Euro, with a maximum prize of 60.000 Euro. Deadline for receipt of entries: 27 September 2024.

Participants already selected:

• LINA GHOTMEH - ARCHITECTURE (75 rue de la Fontaine au Roi 75011 Paris)
• MECANOO (Oude Delft 203, 2611 HD Delft, The Netherlands)
• SAUERBRUCH HUTTON (Lehrter Straße 57, 10557 Berlin)
• 3XN (Kanonbådsvej 8, Copenhagen, DK)
• BIG - BJARKE INGELS GROUP (Sundkaj 165, Copenhagen, DK)
• 3H ÉPÍTÉSZIRODA (1094 Budapest, Ferenc körút 37.)
• BORD ÉPÍTÉSZ STÚDIÓ (1068 Budapest, Felső erdősor 3. III/22.)
• ÉPÍTÉSZ STÚDIÓ (1016 Budapest, Krisztina krt. 71.)
• M-TEAMPANNON ÉPÍTÉSZ ÉS MÉRNÖKIRODA (1053 Budapest, Veres Pálné utca 7.)
• BÁNÁTI + HARTVIG ÉPÍTÉSZ IRODA (1117 Budapest, Fehérvári út 38.)

They are looking for open spaces and innovative architectural solutions

With a total gross floor area of approximately 23,000 m², the museum building has to fit in with the existing functions of the site. The competition is looking for proposals that will create a facility that will present natural science content in a forward-looking way, that will be able to attract visitors from both within and outside Debrecen, that will be linked to the Culture Park (zoo and amusement park) and the Nagyerdő (Nagyerdei Stadium, Sziget-blue Theme Park, Sportcentrum, Békás lake, Aquaticum) and that will function as a community venue.

It is important that the building connects with its surroundings: it should be a space open to the neighbourhood, but with unique and innovative architectural solutions,

The aim is to create the leading cultural and scientific community institution in Central Europe, one of the most modern, innovative and environmentally conscious buildings in Europe, a world-class exhibition venue, a place for the requirements of the present and the future, a place for museum trends. A priority is to exploit the potential of the proximity of the Cultural Park.

The new MTM exhibition building should have the following characteristics:

• a place where visitors can be part of the community experience;
• a space where the visitor can also experience interaction with original objects;
• an interpretation site where, alongside the objects, visitors can learn about the evolution of the living world through their stories;
• a playground where families can experience discovery together;
• a workshop that is a base for research on bio- and geodiversity in Hungary, where experts in the scientific community seek answers to questions of evolutionary history, environmental protection and sustainable development;
• a space where students and teachers can find formal, informal and non-formal ways of lifelong learning;
• is a service place where visitors can find the highest quality entertainment;
• is a tourist attraction worth flying in and visiting from anywhere in Europe, enhanced by the harmony between the appearance of the building and the content it presents.