"LIBEGŐ"
Cablecar Stations at Zugliget, Budapest - Valley and Hill Stations design
Both the Valley and the Hill Station, are basic pavilion structures. Reminiscent of the old building a reinforced concrete flat roof is resting on concrete pillars, under which closed box-like masses and open waiting areas alternate. The main differences between the two buildings stem from the geographical location, and the difference in the way one approaches them. While the Valley Station is at the end of Zugligeti road, almost in a dead end position in a valley, the Hill Station can be interpreted as the top of the mountain, accessible from all directions.
It is from this difference that the Valley Station stands on a "podium": an architecturally compact pedestal with protruding wall pillars. From this pedestal the pillars point upwards, which are finally closed by the horizontal blade of the flat roof. From an architectural point of view, we consider it important to treat these three elements, the pedestal, the pillars and the flat roof, as one body.
When designing the stations of the Libegő (in Hungarian means cable car), we tried to find a volume and a way of functional organisation that best serves the purpose of the buildings. In the case of the lower station building, we were thinking of the dramaturgy of the arrival of the audience. Visitors, typically arrival of the public, can wait for each other in a large, newly designed square. From here you can reach the buffet on wide stairs, from where you can hurry up to the top of the hill after a quick purchase. The purpose of the Hill Station is completely different. Instead of leaving, it wants to encourage cable car users and hikers to stay.
Valley station, view from Zuglieti út
Valley station, entrance
Valley station, space between the two buildings
Both buildings evoke the character of the original stations, but they are built as a completely new structure. The mass of simple, clean reinforced concrete pavilions is joined by a fine, plant-filled pergola system. The pergolas are huge shading structures with climbing plants, which refine the severity of the transport buildings to the natural green of the environment. In their shade you can wait at the Valley Station and at the Hill Station you can sit on the terrace and on the roof. In the meantime, we can also admire the greenery and the view.
The two volumes stretch a “string” between each other just like two hands, namely it is the cable of the cable car. The new technology no longer requires the former counterweight within the building, but it is built as a structure completely independent from it. Nevertheless, we tried to integrate it to the stations and to “rotate” all functional needs to it so it could live together with the buildings.
Hill station, restaurant terrace and cable car entrance
Hill station, restaurant terrace
Hill station, rooftop terrace
years of design: 2017-2018.
year of realisation: 2019.
work together with PLANT-Atelier Peter Kis design studio
role: project architect, conceptual, permissional and constructional design together with Sinkovics Brigitta, architect
function: cable car station and bufe at the valley and restaurant, rooftop restaurant on the hill
