布达校园丨匈牙利布达佩斯

CAMPUS IN BUDA

Budapet, Hungary

A total of 15 undergraduate and master's programmes, 6 institutes, 15 university buildings, 7.5 hectares of parkland, a nature reserve, a national monument, over 2000 species of woody shrubs, perennials and other herbaceous plants.

These figures paint an impressive picture, but what truly lies behind the numbers?

What is the deeper significance of the arboretum?

The Arboretum of Buda is a garden of science, learning, and discovery. It is the garden of schools, kindergartens, students, and the surrounding neighborhoods—a garden for the entire city. This campus welcomes everyone: those eager to learn, those seeking solace in nature, and those wishing to deepen their connection to plants, gardening, and the natural sciences. And still despite being an invaluable asset, the arboretum remains underappreciated and lacks the recognition it deserves.

Our conceptual work builds on this profound legacy, aiming to enhance and celebrate the Arboretum’s existing values while addressing amonst others, the social and climatic demands of the 21st century.

Our approach is guided by a three-tiered conceptual framework, offering a phased timeline for realization. The primary interventions, already initiated over the past year, begin with targeted enhancements that can gradually extend to the entire garden. This ongoing renewal reflects our commitment to safeguarding the arboretum as a treasure for future generations.

The new visual identity of our design

is symbolized by the striking Yves Klein blue

—a cohesive element that not only complements

the tender works but is also proposed as the

color for new contemporary features,

furnishings, and the informational infrastructure

we are planning.

This infrastructure enhances the legibility and accessibility of the garden’s assets, clearly defining its sub-areas and outlining their intended uses in a way that integrates seamlessly into the landscape. This approach demonstrates and safeguards the garden’s values while promoting orderly and functional usage without imposing unnecessary restrictions.

The second layer of our concept focuses on preserving and reinforcing the historic value of the garden through the reconstruction or evocation of its historic elements. The final, most ambitious layer of the concept involves the renewal and transformation of designated land units. These independent yet interconnected interventions represent the most significant investment and hold the greatest potential for enriching the campus. Scheduled separately, these projects are managable and will greatly contribute to the community life of the campus while supporting learning and tourism. The Garden Campus concept is both ambitious and inspiring, offering feasible interventions that promise to enhance campus life while ensuring a meaningful return on investment. Its impact extends across social, cultural, and ecological dimensions, making it a transformative project.

A key focus of the design is the integration of user-centered solutions that address social needs while respecting the garden’s natural and historical heritage. From conceptualization to technical proposals, the project adheres to ecologically conscious design principles, ensuring that sustainability is at the core of every decision.

The plan emphasizes the reuse and recycling of existing paving and equipment wherever possible. Newly created areas will feature demonstration plantings that showcase and test biodiverse, ecodynamic urban vegetation and climate-resilient tree species. Additionally, the integrated rainwater management system not only serves as a functional water solution for the arboretum but also acts as a powerful educational and demonstrative tool for sustainable practices.

The project was completed together with Dorottya Ráskai-Kiss, Nóra Kazári-Ambrus and Xiao Wang.