A MUSEUM ON THE LAWN
BUDAPEST HUNGARY
CULTURAL
2014
WITH SHOP ARCHITECTS
The Liget Budapest design competition called for the design of a National Landmark that would house two distinct cultural institutions sited on Budapest’s beloved City Park(Városliget). Each of the institutions(New National Gallery, The Ludwig Museum of Contemporary Art,) prescribed a specific set of technical requirements, providing a complex design challenge, while the task of designing a large, monumental structure that could exist harmoniously within the lush landscape of the park appeared contradictory. As a part of SHoP Architects’ competition team, Will developed the design proposal that was one of five proposals shortlisted among 500 anonymous entries.
The proposed design solution eases the tension between the park and the building by lifting half of the building’s program on piers, and pushing the other half below ground. The result is an illusion of a building delicately hovering over the park, allowing the park to freely move through unencumbered.
The complex requirements of each institution is alleviated with a grid-like parti, with each square rotated slightly to connect to the next corner-to-corner, allowing the institutions to maintain visual proximity but spatial and technical separation. The rotated masses are collected together within a glass shingle rain screen, becoming camouflaged as it reflects the park and its ever changing colors.