Our proposal for the Hungarian House of Music in Budapest is formed from an array of tangent arcs. The primary interior spaces are defined by points of tangency – moments of suspension between two vectors, volumes or spatial orders. The five lobes of the building each have a distinct set of programs, floor-to-floor heights and a specific ‘grain’ of arcing structure that converges at the central lobby.

The Mass of the building opens up on all five sides of the site through a series of fissures, allowing multiple entries directly into the central lobby. Arc-ing alignments also tie the interior performance venues to as series of outdoor spaces which extend in toward the center of the building.

An extruded ceramic louver system with a palette of 34 colors create dynamic visual effects as visitors approach and move around the building while integrating large areas of glass into a consistent composition. At the outdoor stage, louvers have a triangular profile designed to disperse higher frequency sound reflections, allowing the building to serve as the acoustical backdrop for the stage.

Building Sections

Plans: Ground floor, Mezzanine, Second Floor

Elevations (top to bottom): Northeast, North, East, South

Possible color Palettes

Project Team: David Freeland, Brennan Buck, Conner Gravelle, Johannes Beck, Anass Benhachmi, Kate Richter