Tungsram #2: Factory in Circulation – Pop-up Exhibition and Meetup

The Tungsram factory, which ceased operations in 2023 after 125 years, serves as the venue for this event. The industrial, intellectual, and architectural values persist within Budapest’s urban fabric as a small “city”. The imprints of the daily lives of the 12,000 people who worked there at the factory’s heyday, along with the accumulated objects, materials, buildings, and knowledge, silently await their next chapter. This programme seizes a unique moment: the factory is no longer operational, and development has not yet begun. The event takes advantage of this situation, featuring a guided tour, outdoor exhibition, and mini-conference, presenting the Tungsram quarter and its heritage. It highlights not only historical values but also how on-site materials can be reused and existing buildings repurposed to create liveable urban spaces for a broad segment of society. The goal is to showcase sustainable, environmentally and future-conscious, circular, socially integrative, and economically viable design and operational solutions.

About the Organiser:
VárosLabor focuses on the reuse of vacant properties. Its objectives include revitalising urban areas, creating a professional community centred on circular urban development, and researching and widely sharing successful examples and innovative solutions. The workshop participates in concrete developments, facilitating the identification and preparation of the best development structures for specific properties, supporting collaboration among stakeholders, and contributing to sustainable neighbourhood growth and the strengthening of local communities. The conference and exhibition are grounded in the doctoral research of Andrea Szakál (Blokk + VárosLabor), offering design principles and strategies for utilising existing buildings according to the above considerations. Professional partners of the initiative include the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design, Institute of Architecture, S39 Hybrid Design, and Blokk Architects, who jointly support the programme’s professional framework and implementation.

Website:
www.varoslabor.hu