Népliget centre

Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Project idea

The proposed development envisions the transformation of an underutilised urban area into a resilient, multifunctional and human-centered district, grounded in the principles of sustainable urbanism and the 15-minute city. The concept is structured around four interrelated pillars: a multimodal transport and business hub, a socially inclusive residential quarter, climate-adaptive design, and a compact urban structure that fosters accessibility and livability.
At the heart of the proposal lies the creation of a new intermodal transport interchange, centred on a future-proof Népliget railway station. This mobility hub will be seamlessly connected with an alternative intercity bus terminal, a bus depot for regional and urban buses, and an underground pedestrian passageway linking the station to the Ecseri út metro station. A covered transit corridor equipped with moving walkways will facilitate fluid pedestrian flow between transport modes.
Supporting infrastructure includes a Park-and-Ride (P+R) underground car park, Bike-and-Ride (B+R) shelters, and mixed-use developments with ground-floor services. The node will function as a catalyst for local economic development, anchored by office buildings and retail, hospitality, and leisure functions interwoven into a high-quality, green public realm.
The new neighbourhood promotes livable urban density and social sustainability through a diverse housing mix, incorporating market-rate, affordable, and co-housing typologies, along with transitional housing units. Residential buildings will incorporate generous communal spaces, while private and semi-private green courtyards foster social interaction and urban biodiversity.
Ground-floor community, commercial, and service functions ensure that everyday needs are met locally, aligned with the 15-minute city paradigm. Underground residential parking will be located beneath perimeter blocks to maintain a pedestrian-priority interior, anchored by a linear public park offering recreational amenities such as playgrounds, sports courts, and fitness areas.
The district will be designed as a model of climate resilience, integrating sustainable drainage systems such as rain gardens, stormwater retention basins, and permeable paving to enhance water retention and reduce surface runoff. Permanent water features will contribute to microclimate regulation, while the extensive use of native and biodiverse planting schemes supports ecological connectivity and climate adaptation.
Tree-lined streets, green roofs, and impervious surfaces are key elements of the design strategy. A high proportion of green space will be distributed both along the perimeter and within the internal street network to enhance environmental quality and livability.
In line with the compact city approach, the district is designed to maximise functional proximity, enabling residents to access housing, workplaces, services, and public transport within short walking or cycling distances. The neighbourhood will host local food retailers, a new farmers' market, second-hand shops, and repair workshops to promote local economies and circular consumption patterns.
Essential public services will be integrated into the ground floors of mixed-use buildings. The district’s internal layout will prioritise walkability, active mobility, and vibrant public spaces, with vehicular traffic limited to the periphery.
This integrated concept fosters a compact, inclusive, and climate-resilient urban district that reconciles mobility, housing, ecology, and economy.

Project description

The Népliget Railway Station will be built in the near future at the south-eastern end of Népliget, between the Ecseri Road and Népliget stations of metro line 3, as one of the most important stop of the Southern Circular Railway. The extension will create a key intermodal hub at this point on the east-west railway line, which also attracts significant conurbation traffic, as people arriving in Budapest by train from the conurbation will transfer here to the busiest metro line running through the city, to reach their workplace or other urban activities, but also to reach the tram line 3, which connects Budapest's transit and outlying areas, and one of the capital's most important bus stations, the Népliget bus station, from where they can reach Pest region and many parts of the country. The currently under-used, commercial and logistical area to the south of the future railway station could potentially become a new mixed-use sub-centre of the city, providing housing, jobs and green space.
In addition to serving and complementing the new intermodal hub with a range of retail and hospitality functions and creating local jobs, our concept for Népliget Centre will aim to create a higher-density, socially heterogeneous, compact, yet green and liveable residential area with a wide range of housing options to address the current severe housing crisis.
The railway station and the new Népliget bus station will be the main focus of the Népliget district, the latter being created to relieve the load on the Népliget bus station and to accommodate alternative bus services (Flixbus, organised ski tour buses). This new rail and bus station will include a number of functions such as restaurants, cafés and possibly a supermarket, due to its role as a hub. Adequate parking facilities will be provided around the station, with a P+R car park and a bicycle storage area on the surface. The station will be surrounded by a coherent public space system, including the area around the metro and tram stops on Ecseri Road and the area above the MVM dome, with high quality green spaces for the expected pedestrian traffic and for waiting and stopping for both pedestrians and vehicles. The pedestrian connection between the Népliget bus station and the Népliget city centre will be provided by a covered-open longitudinal corridor with a moving walkway.
Closely linked to the railway station, a certain number of office buildings will be built along the public spaces of the station as a location easily accessible by public transport for the population of the capital and the district, while these office buildings will also include coworking offices in addition to the companies that will be built to create home office or hybrid workspace for the locals.
Most of the district will be made up of residential buildings. Basically, a dense quarter will be created, with 4-5 storey apartment blocks, to provide housing for as many people as possible and to create a more compact quarter, while at the same time creating a large amount of green space within and across the quarter. We aim to create apartments and housing of different sizes and financing, including private market housing and social rented housing subsidised by the municipality, but also to provide space for co-housing. At the same time, an important element of the emerging heterogeneous neighbourhood, with a healthy and sustainable social composition, will be exit-type housing or apartment blocks, which could provide a way out of poverty for the homeless in the neighbourhood, with mentoring by local social workers. The housing will have large communal spaces and a range of shared functions.
The district will essentially be a compact, 15-minute urban concept district, meaning that the basic functions of life will be within 15 minutes walking distance: Basic grocery and convenience stores, but also the possibility to buy quality, healthy fruit and vegetables, public green space, a park with recreation, exercise and play facilities for all ages, basic health services such as a doctor's office and a pharmacy, shared functions and second-hand shops to make the district more sustainable and circular, community and cohesive functions that create cohesive residential communities. In addition to the quarter itself, the functional system of the quarter will also provide the basic services and infrastructure for the functionally deficient MÁV residential area.
The Népliget district will be a sustainable district adapted to climate change, with public spaces designed according to the principles of the sponge city, with as few paved surfaces as possible, significant green areas, and drainage facilities, rainwater reservoirs and rain gardens. Buildings will be designed with a lower ecological footprint in terms of materials and climate-conscious, ecological design (green roofs, green facades, wood, shading), but with sufficient flexibility to adapt to changing needs and uncertain climatic conditions.
Part of our concept is to humanise the routes bordering the future district and make them more accessible, partly as part of the strategies and plans of the capital. This includes the greening, traffic calming and the provision of a bike lane along Üllői street as an avenue to the city centre, the greening and pedestrianisation of the Ecseri street axis, while at the same time adding new functions and thus new life, and the improved pedestrian and cycle accessibility of the Gyáli street flyover and the circular railway line. The surrounding large green spaces and public parks will also be renewed and made more accessible, and will become one of the main recreational areas of the future Népliget city centre and the surrounding neighbourhoods. These include Népliget, the green belt along the Epreskert and the green spaces surrounding the Gyáli úti railway depot.
The Népliget Centre will be a new, exemplary green urban sub-centre of Budapest, which will significantly improve the efficiency of public transport in Budapest and the surrounding agglomeration as an intermodal hub, becoming a key element of it, creating new jobs locally in the new business district, while providing quality and affordable urban housing for thousands of people from all levels of society, in a compact, sustainable, resilient and people-centered district.

Technical information

The buildings within the development will be constructed using prefabricated reinforced concrete elements, ensuring both structural efficiency and accelerated construction timelines. The facades will feature a movable timber louvre shading system, designed to provide adjustable solar control while contributing to the architectural expression of the buildings. The buildings will have large openings and spacious balconies facing the nearby green spaces and parks, creating strong visual and physical connections with nature. This design supports a healthy and pleasant living environment that brings the outdoors closer to everyday life. The ground floor levels will accommodate both residential units and communal spaces, promoting social interaction and accessibility. The upper floors are dedicated exclusively to residential use. All flats have been designed with flexibility and adaptability in mind; their internal layouts can be easily reconfigured in the future to meet evolving demographic or lifestyle needs, thus supporting long-term resilience and functional longevity.
Flat roofs will host intensive green roofs, which serve not only as environmental buffers but also provide place for the residents to engage in urban agriculture and grow their own plants. The integration of retention ponds and stormwater basins across the site will play a critical role in managing surface water and mitigating the risk of flooding during periods of heavy rainfall. This approach combines sustainable construction methods with climate-conscious design and flexible living solutions.

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