BALÁZS CSAPÓ
Co-Founder Paragram Studio, Hungary
"Architecture Underground"
Case Studies: M3 reconstruction (9 inner city stations)
The reconstruction sought an architectural attitude which, on the one hand, would make the transport corridor accessible to all through functional improvements, while at the same time its contemporary architecture would display continuity with the original design principles. The methodology, based on variation repetition, draws a unified character of the line, while the autonomous appearance of each station facilitates underground orientation. Rail is the most sustainable form of transport within a city, but tunneling the metro means a heavy burden on the environment. This is why it was essential to make the stations accessible by installing inclined cable lifts with only minor modifications to the existing structures, while the overall renewal of the mechanical and electrical systems will bring significant energy savings. The reconstruction of the M3 metro line is one of the most important urban renewal projects in Budapest in the last decade.