National Széchényi Library – Feasibility Study for Relocation to Kőbánya

The feasibility study for relocating the National Széchényi Library to Kőbánya was part of a proposed cultural and urban regeneration project for the S1 site of the former Kőbánya Brewery. Within the ART 10 arts and education district concept, relocating the national library was identified as a key development opportunity that could have contributed to the regeneration of the former industrial area and the introduction of new community functions.

Commissioned by Kőbányai Vagyonkezelő Zrt., we prepared an architectural feasibility study examining potential locations and design solutions for the National Széchényi Library. Our design team developed two alternative concepts, integrating the functional requirements of the library with the existing buildings, heritage assets and distinctive spatial characteristics of the site.

The first concept proposed locating the main reception and reading areas beneath the courtyard enclosed by the historic buildings, incorporating the existing underground cellar system into the library's access routes. The second concept envisaged a new central library building, an adjoining urban square and an underground car park, creating close connections with the preserved industrial buildings. A key design challenge was determining how the former brewery buildings and underground spaces could be adapted to meet the requirements of a modern cultural institution.

The feasibility study presented alternative solutions for the potential relocation of the national library and the adaptive reuse of the site's valuable industrial heritage. An architectural visualisation film was also produced to illustrate the development concepts. Although the relocation was not realised in this form, the project represented a significant architectural planning assignment, addressing brownfield regeneration, heritage conservation and the integration of new community functions.