Semmelweis University's new Education Centre, with a capacity of 1,000 people, is being built on a small plot of land.

Semmelweis University is concluding the major developments at Szentágothai János Square with its new Education Centre. The complex, built under contract EB Hungary Invest Kft., is located on a narrow plot bordered by three streets, which is difficult to build on. The designers solved this challenge with flexible spaces and a spacious atrium, while focusing on maximising natural light and improving visibility.

The building is stretched into a dense urban fabric.

The L-shaped plot opens onto three streets in the capital's 9th district (in the block bounded by Thaly Kálmán, Tűzoltó, Viola and Balázs Béla streets), which is framed on two sides by historicist façades. The architects of the educational complex to be built here KÖZTI architects designed the educational complex to be organised around a glass-covered, east-west street-like atrium. The classrooms and offices on the upper floors open onto this atrium, which also helps to orientate visitors between the hierarchical educational spaces.

The atrium also functions as an intermediate climate zone, as it plays an important role in reducing cooling surfaces. Ventilated and protected by sunshades, it contributes to the building's adequate ventilation and temperature comfort as well as its energy sustainability in spring and autumn.

In front of the compact, glazed section of the façade on Szentágothai János Square, a second shell of ceramic lamellas of varying density provides shade and eases the transition, while the reddish colour and material of the lamellas reflect the façade design of the university building on the other side of the square.

Open university

The way in which higher education institutions use space and the dynamics of this are changing. Education is gradually being modernised in Hungary too: instead of the traditional three-part structure of „classroom – lecture theatre – staff room”, there is a need for more flexible, multi-purpose spaces. Investors and designers therefore envisioned an „open university” that would operate around the clock for students, capable of meeting individual needs despite the fact that its main lecture hall on level -1 can accommodate up to a thousand people.

The high-ceilinged, internally unsupported large lecture hall beneath the atrium can be divided into two, three or four sections using mobile walls. Thanks to the movable stands, the flat-floored hall can be converted into a stepped auditorium, making it suitable for lectures, events and concerts.

In connection with this, efforts are being made to ensure that the building's operation meets tomorrow's expectations, which is why the building will be equipped with windows and doors fitted with sunlight-reflecting film, a heat recovery ventilation system and a rainwater collection system.

Special solutions were required right from the foundation stage.

The EBH informed our newspaper about the details of the construction. As we learned from them, the partition wall delimiting the workspace has been completed, and anchoring and heavy earthworks are currently underway. The construction is almost complete, so contractors must pay special attention to preserving the condition of the surrounding properties – through regular movement checks and ongoing communication with condominium managers and owners.

„We had to reinforce part of your neighbouring building, over a length of nearly 70 metres, using special deep foundation technology (jet grouting)," said the chief construction manager of the contractor.

They are at a decisive stage

Currently, the greatest challenge for the experts is the structural and junction design of the suspension bridges planned for the lobby, as well as connecting the curtain wall facing the main entrance to the glass roof. In addition to these, the construction of large, visible steel staircases in the lobby and the design of the glass roof above the lobby will also require serious attention.

In the next phase, pile driving and the construction of the bedding and drainage system will commence, and at the same time, the construction of the head blocks and base slab can begin.

The first tower crane will soon be erected, which will be larger than usual and have a higher load capacity. This is necessary due to the size of the construction site and the narrow streets surrounding it – but the two smaller cranes to be installed inside the building will also be erected with the first one.

Key issue: organisation

The construction site can only be accessed from Üllői út, Tűzoltó utca and Thaly Kálmán utca. In addition to being extremely busy in general, these streets are also used by several parallel construction projects. Oversized shipments are therefore usually received late in the evening or early in the morning.

„We have to constantly adjust the schedule so that there is no need for significant on-site material storage, because we have very little space available,” explained the chief construction manager.

„All significant logistics tasks," he added, "must comply with preliminary traffic planning, municipal, public road management and police regulations, which requires a high level of preparation and organisation from those involved in the implementation.