Sordo Madaleno, in collaboration with építész stúdió and Buro Happold, has won the international competition to design the New Collection Centre for the Hungarian Museum of Natural History in Debrecen. This 43,000-square-meter facility represents the Mexican architecture firm’s first European cultural commission. The winning design emphasizes the critical, behind-the-scenes work of conservation, research, and scientific stewardship. Architect Fernando Sordo Madaleno describes the architecture as an extension of this care, creating a unified space for conservators, stakeholders, and the environment. A defining feature is its layered brick facade, crafted from soils from different Hungarian regions, whose subtle tonal variations reflect the nation’s geological history and the museum’s multidisciplinary scope.
The project is a key component of Debrecen’s ongoing urban and academic expansion, which includes relocating the museum’s main exhibition building to a Bjarke Ingels Group-designed structure. Situated within the University of Debrecen Science Park, the Collection Centre will securely store, study, and preserve over eleven million objects. The design team conceived the elongated, rectilinear volume as a protective vessel—akin to a traditional Hungarian clay pot—prioritizing material logic and internal clarity over expressive form. The program spans three floors and a basement, dedicating substantial space to collection storage, conservation laboratories, and a central, top-lit public atrium for display and events.
Internally, the design meticulously calibrates workspaces for longevity and stability. Controlled light and ventilation are introduced through internal courtyards, maintaining the strict environmental conditions required for preservation while providing outdoor views. The spatial organization seamlessly integrates circulation, logistics, and security, underpinning the building’s role as essential support infrastructure. The competition jury specifically praised this layout and the project’s strong focus on sustainability, security, and its capacity to foster long-term research and international collaboration.
Ultimately, the Debrecen Collection Centre shifts focus from public spectacle to enduring scientific function. Through its deliberate materiality, disciplined spaces, and subdued presence, the building champions the often-invisible processes of care, endurance, and continuity that are fundamental to museum work, creating a dignified and purposeful home for Hungary’s natural heritage.
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