Debrecen4U February 2, 2026

Visual Designs Showcase the Hungarian Natural History Museum’s New Debrecen Collection Center

The international design competition for the Hungarian Natural History Museum’s exhibition building in Debrecen was concluded last March, and the winning entry was the joint proposal of the world-renowned Danish Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) and Vikár és Lukács Építész Stúdió Kft. The exhibition building will be constructed in the Nagyerdő area, on the site of the former Loki Stadium, on Oláh Gábor Street.

However, the Natural History Museum will also have another building in Debrecen: the collection center, which will be located on the western side of the city, in the University Innovation Industrial Park.

This was justified by the fact that while the exhibition building to be established in Debrecen’s Great Forest maintains a close relationship with a natural environment free from human intervention, the collection center will be integrated into the scientific ecosystem of the University of Debrecen.

At the results announcement held on Friday, it was announced that the winner of the collection center design competition was the consortium of Sordo Madaleno Ltd., Építész Stúdió Kft., and Buro Happold Ltd.

As stated during the evaluation, in their design the building appears as a single, compact, clearly defined rectangular mass, with rational internal spatial organization and a layered, solid façade that reflects the geological characteristics of the region.

“The collection center is far more for Debrecen than a background institution. It is the knowledge base that elevates the city to one of the most important centers of Hungarian natural sciences. Thanks to the proximity of the University of Debrecen, research, education, and museum practice are linked together in an unprecedented way through continuous, everyday cooperation. Here, we not only preserve the national natural heritage, but also actively support the future researchers, educators, and professionals. In the long term, this center strengthens Debrecen’s intellectual power and makes the city visible on the international scientific map,” said Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa, a member of the jury, at the event.

Source and photo credit: dehir.hu