Architecture’s progressive study and plans were bought on the tender for the development of the MOME Campus. The Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design is an outstanding institution not only on the applied arts field, but on the overall Hungarian higher education palette as well. Last year, a large-scale campus development has started, which contains the complete renewal of the site, new buildings included. The architectural tender for the project has just been closed, where the progressive entry of Minusplus Architecture was finally bought. Just like other projects by Minusplus, the final plans and study were preceded by years of research. This time the architects examined the transitions going on in higher education institutions these days, while analysed contemporary architectural practices from a functional point of view. More importantly, they drew in the idea of interdisciplinarity by studying related scientific and academic fields, like environmental psychology or the logistics and management of education.

Their aim was therefore bigger than designing a single, exclusive campus layout: they intended to propose a model for all Hungarian universities. With their study, they laid down an architectural framework that points towards an educational service of higher quality. In practice, this meant abandoning the hierarchical, authoritarian perspective typical of universities, and creating an educational environment that offers opportunities for community, transition, participation, and partnership. Spaces therefore are absolutely open and flexible, adapting to any type of possible uses from exhibitions through workshops to lecturing. This kind of versatility is also essential from a technological point of view: since one cannot predict the future, spaces and accommodating facilities have to be designed so as they can be adjusted according to unforeseen technological developments. The entry is therefore is more than a mere case study, as it offers an essential handbook for any higher educational institution that intends to take a step towards a more democratic yet human university structure.

Architecture

Zsolt Alexa, Donát Rabb, Ákos Schreck, Balázs Turai, Ferenc Kis

Photo

MINUSPLUS

Location

Budapest, Hungary

Date

2016