The essence of Pest's city centre, the southern section of Váci utca in District V has been renovated

It's been almost 25 years since architect István Eltér - now President of the Budapest Chamber of Architects - and his fellow architects dreamt up a pedestrian street on the southern section of Váci utca, which is divided by the Erzsébet bridge. Although the northern side has been the most important - and the first - pedestrian street in the city centre since 1964, the southern side, in contrast to the section crowded with shops and tourists, was blocked by parked cars and narrow pavements, preventing organic access to Fővám tér.

A large-scale development started in the 1990s renewed the public spaces, raised the road surface to the same level as the pavement, created a pedestrian street and started the reconstruction of the facades. The result is a street that, although not organically connected to the northern side by the Free Press Road, deeply embraces the values and atmosphere of Budapest's city centre.

Quality of life also improved

The aim of the project is to integrate and beautify the neighbouring streets into a pedestrian area and, last but not least, to improve the livability of the environment.

The work of Penta Általános Építőipari Kft. has renewed the deteriorated South Váci Street and its adjoining alleys, making it a more homely environment than before, with the renewal of the pavement, the planting of trees and the installation of new street furniture, including bike racks and litter bins, as the City Council intended.

Priority was given to increasing the green area, so not only 30 ground-connected trees were planted, but also 16 additional plantation trees were planted in the public areas affected by the project

- said Gábor Szentgyörgyvölgyi, a local councillor, to the district newspaper. The works were completed in mid-February and residents were able to take possession of the parts of the renewed public spaces that had been treated as work areas. As part of the project

• sidewalks on both sides of Váci utca between Duna utca and Irányi utca,
• the wall-to-wall section of Váci utca between Irányi utca and Fővám tér,
• and Nyáry Pál Street (between Váci Street and Molnár Street),
• Pintér Street,
• Sörház street (between Váci street and Belgrade quay),
• Havas street (between Váci street and Belgrade quay),
• and the Váci Street intersections of the streets connected to Váci Street from the east.

New natural coverings

The roadway of all the connected side streets was raised to the level of the pavement, and the kerbs were built flush with the pavement, 2 cm above the roadway, to ensure accessibility.

In the central pedestrian traffic zone of Váci Street and within the ellipses marking the square extensions, a uniquely patterned yellowish-brown granite paving was used, while the lane next to the building plinths was covered with a more subdued, medium grey, but also high-quality granite paving. The roadways and parking lanes of the connecting streets are paved with natural basalt large cobbles, while the pavement surfaces are paved with granite aggregate.

Greening is a serious challenge

Utilities are very dense not only around Váci Street, but all over the city centre, so planting plants here is a difficult task. Gábor Szentgyörgyvölgyi said." With the Stockholm Tree Planting System, soil provides the oxygen, water and nutrients that are essential for the roots of the trees, so they grow faster and are better able to withstand the urban environment.

The Lajtha well has been renovated

The Lajtha fountain, carved from limestone at the intersection of Havas Street and Váci Street, is a monument of unbelievable significance, and its unique paving has been added to its appearance. The fountain, which consists of a basin and a bronze tap with water-saving features, will be reopened this year.