© Snøhetta
New City District on a Brownfield Site
The proposal for a new city district on a brownfield site in the Hungarian capital of Budapest centers on the deliberate use of water to define the site and drive its environmental approach. Designed for density, this urban vision creates a distinct identity for this new urban quarter next to the water.
Central to the identity of Budapest is the Danube, Europe’s second-longest river that runs through ten countries. Yet the city’s streets, public transport infrastructure, and ferry moorings impede access to the river in the center of the city, making direct contact with the water nearly impossible.
DREISEITLconsulting proposal focuses on the combination of modern integrated landscape architecture that is more than just aesthetics design but also a high-performing highly functional platform in the project. We provided our expertise on rainwater management, urban hydrology, environmental engineering, sustainability and resilience, nature-based solutions, and blue-green infrastructure. The site provides the unique opportunity to create a lively waterfront for the people of Budapest. Water as the main design element is highlighted with channels reaching far into the new district. Besides the new public urban spaces along the riverfront, the park landscape offers recreational areas and sports facilities. Furthermore, the fluvial landscape enhances the biodiversity of the city quarter and provides for water treatment.
DREISEITLconsulting
Masterplanning, Urban Planning, Resilience and Sustainability, Urban Hydrology and Blue-Green Infrastructure
Location
Budapest, Hungary
Client
BFK Budapest Development Centre
Collaborators
Snøhetta, Verkehrsingenieure Besch und Partner (traffic strategist), Közlekedés Kft. (traffic planners), Istvan Kotsis, Andrea Mayer (urban planners), sporaarchitects Kft. (local collaborators), Főmterv (utilities planner), Gábor Csaba Soóki Tóth (urban product developer), Akos Juhasz (cultural expert), BIM Design / Andras Kocsis (Cost planning)
Size
135 ha
Status
Winner, Competition Entry (2018)
Completed
“It boldly accepts the challenge of developing a
new neighborhood in Budapest that does not yet exist”
- Jury for Budapest Southgate Competition
© Snøhetta
The site along the Ráckevei Soroksári Duna (RSD), a former tributary of the Danube, is independent of the dynamics of the current as a result of a lock, and additional new canals will facilitate direct contact with the water.
The masterplan for a new district, located only a few kilometers south of the city center, involves water as an element that shapes the city, and creates a vibrant space in direct relation to the river. The new district of the city, which is being built on a 135-hectare urban wasteland, is given the character of a peninsula.
All parts of the urban fabric are given strong identities, relating to each other and resulting in a resilient, colorful and vibrant new district of Budapest – the South Gate Peninsula.
In addition to the proximity to the river, the masterplan focuses on density and a mix of uses, on accessible public space and diversity of buildings, and on references to the existing city and integration of natural dynamics within the built structures. It is based on a strong concept with a focus on future users and current challenges, such as the effects of climate change.
The district is structured by a new blue-green infrastructure. It creates recreational spaces and public squares as well as retention and drainage areas, and it processes rain and surface water. The purified water is then channeled into the tributary of the Danube and thereby released into the natural circulation of water.
© Snøhetta
Budapest South Gate development is complex in a central location surrounded by water beside the Danube and the Ráckevei (Soroksári)-Duna (RSD) canel. With its historic dimension, Budapest has a long tradition interacting with water in a variety of ways. Besides the Danube River, the city was founded beside hot springs and thermal water.
Principles of Water Management and Rainwater Treatment Chain
The Budapest Southgate site is situated near the Danube River waterfront. Formerly, the area housed river wizen islands, but it now features a controlled canal with a gate designed to regulate water flow.
Its strategic location is particularly noteworthy due to its proximity to waterways, notably the 45 km long canal. The current condition and water dynamics of the canal pose a critical challenge, requiring a sustainable solution capable of withstanding the escalating urban and industrial development, along with anticipated changes in climatic conditions.
The significance of the canal's water quality and quantity cannot be overstated, given various contributing factors. Urbanization, industrial activities, and farming along the canal contribute to pollution, stemming from fertilizers and nutrients that could significantly impact water quality. Although there is existing sewage treatment along the canal, enhancing the system, especially by reducing the frequency of combined stormwater overflow (CSO), is crucial for overall improvement.
Rainwater and Stormwater Retention, Cleansing and Treatment Chain
Rainwater are being captured from the private domain to semi-private, public and eventually flows into the Ráckevei (Soroksári)-Duna (RSD)
Green roofs and run-off channels, along with rain gardens and plant-based purification systems, are part of this blue-green infrastructure, which also ensures a comfortable microclimate, prevents heat islands from forming, and increases biodiversity in the city.
The water canal also functions as an essential reservoir for irrigation purposes, supporting various land activities such as farming. Consequently, the water quality must meet high standards to sustain these diverse uses.
The foundational principles of the water management system revolve around the journey of rainwater from private domains to semi-private and public areas, ultimately leading to the Ráckevei (Soroksári)-Duna (RSD). In the private domain, rainwater is harnessed on green roofs and then directed to urban vegetated water bodies. This intricate process involves filtration, sedimentation, biological absorption, infiltration, evaporation, and detention, ensuring the water undergoes thorough treatment before flowing into the public realm and eventually into the Danube.
Our innovative concept considers the canal RSD as an integral part of a new waterfront within the city. Moreover, we introduce a supply of fresh and clean water into the RSD, treating rainwater runoff through a comprehensive treatment-train that incorporates bioswales and cleansing biotopes. This holistic approach not only enhances the water quality but also contributes to the creation of a vibrant and sustainable urban environment.
© Snøhetta
© Snøhetta
Upon completion, roughly 16,000 people, out of which around 12,000 are students, will live in the densely built district. Moreover, an additional 15,000 people will work there. The urban structure is shaped by both multifunctional open spaces like streets, boulevards, and squares as well as interpretations of the urban block. The building development varies in density, height, and use to facilitate a multifaceted and diverse urban character.
© Snøhetta
© Snøhetta
The master plan for the 135-hectare South Gate site is based on innovative approaches to sustainable urban development and reinterprets well-known principles of European cities. The vision holds the structural and urban prerequisites for the new district to develop into a vibrant, accessible, and enjoyable part of the city for the citizens of Budapest and beyond.
