PHOTOS: Dance and Movement Complex to open soon in Hungary

The former children’s hospital in Veszprém will be the home of movement culture. Due to the work of VEMÉV-SZER Ltd and VeszprémBer Building Ltd., the building and its surroundings will be completely renovated and transformed into a new dance and movement complex. The date of completion is fastly approaching.

The former children’s hospital located on Hóvirág Street in Veszprém has been left abandoned for more than 25 years. Soon, however, it will take on a new role in the life of Veszprém. The transformation of the building into a large-scale cultural centre is currently ongoing, including the installation of the building’s heating and furnishings. Construction work on the ActiCity Mobility Centre in the Central Transdanubia region is now nearing completion.

Photo: Facebook/ActiCity Veszprém

The new complex will have a major impact on the city

Due to the work of VEMÉV-SZER Ltd. and VeszprémBer Building Ltd., there is a major development in the cultural and architectural image of the city. The ActiCity Dance and Movement Centre and its surroundings will be completely renovated and transformed. The decaying former children’s hospital will be restored to its original glory, designed by Pro Architectura and Ybl Prize-winning architect Anthony Gall.

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According to MagyarÉpítők, as a result of the improvements, the new building will have a floor area of more than 7,000 square metres. The laundry next to the institution will be renewed and a new three-storey entrance hall will be added. There, the tiling of the rooms and the preparation of the resin tiling of the stairs are currently ongoing. In addition, the installation of built-in furniture and the coating of existing reinforced concrete structures are in progress.

Photo: Print screen from Facebook/Hungarian Ballet Grand Prix

In the facility, the professionals are currently working on the renovation of the remaining flooring in the hospital corridors and the installation and grouting of soundproof ceilings in future dance halls. The latter work will be completed shortly.

“The former Heim Pál Children’s Hospital will be reborn as a new home for ballet, contemporary and folk dance communities, movement arts groups and a multifunctional rehearsal and performance centre. The project, supported by the Veszprém-Balaton 2023 European Capital of Culture programme, will include rehearsal rooms, a performance hall for dance, light and classical music, an open-air stage, a restaurant and café, a 150-space car park and a shaded recreation park in the green corridor of the city centre,” writes ActiCity Veszprém in a Facebook post.

Preserving the building’s original form

The final pavement signs and pictograms are currently being prepared for the 154-space car park.
On the outskirts of the complex, the construction of the road mirrors, the installation of kerbstones and the paving of the roads are underway. The Facility Manager Attila Miklós added that landscaping and irrigation works have already started, and the repair and replacement of the existing stone walls are also part of the current tasks.

Photo: Print screen from Facebook/Hungarian Ballet Grand Prix

However, the design of the complex has been carefully considered to ensure that the modernisation will preserve the building’s original form.

“The restoration work had to take particular account of the main entrance façade of the former hospital and the flooring of its corridors,”

emphasised Attila Miklós. He added that a thorough condition assessment of the roof structure could only be carried out after the removal of the roof tiles. As a result, a significant part of the tiles had to be replaced or reinforced. Also, basement excavations revealed that the building had inadequate foundations in several places. Therefore, the experts had to strengthen the base in a number of spots.

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Home for international competitions

In June 2023, Veszprém hosts the Hungarian Ballet Grand Prix. The international competition will actually be staged in the Acticity complex. László Bélafi, the person behind the recreation of the building, said that even during construction it was evident that a superb event venue was being established in the city, proof of which comes in the whole series of events that are being organised over the coming months in the rooms of the activity centre, writes Hungarian Ballet Grand Prix.