National Athletic Center
The National Athletics Centre, with a capacity of 15,000, was constructed from 2020 to 2023 for the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest in the summer of 2023 at a total cost of 650 million euros. The stadium was expanded to 35,000 seats for the occasion with the help of mobile tribunes.
Danucem’s Hungarian partner, Viastein Ltd., supplied paving stones for the stadium, which are made of Rohoznik White cement. In addition to offering a climate- and human-friendly surface solution, these uniquely designed paving stones perform even under extreme conditions and offer a first-class visual appearance.
Crème de la crème in sports architecture
The project’s architect refers to the National Athletics Centre as “the Crown of the Queen of Sports”. The principle idea of the planning was that with this structure, we should pay tribute to the queen of sports, athletics, which since ancient times has been able to determine the best athlete through a range of direct competition.
Lower-carbon products from Danucem
The conditions of the project tender specified ready-mix concrete footpaths made of Rohoznik White CEM II type limestone cement, as it featured the lowest carbon footprint at the time.
The footpaths in the park surrounding the stadium were eventually made of paving stones, however. In the period between planning and construction, Danucem introduced new white cement products with a lower clinker factor and fewer CO2 emissions. Viastein’s custom-designed paving stone could now be manufactured using the new, more sustainable cement, which was able to further reduce the project’s overall CO2 footprint. Thanks to its light colour, the surface does not get nearly as hot in the sun, making the overall environment more pleasant for visitors.
To complement the stadium’s architecture, another Danucem partner, VPI Concrete, produced benches, bins, bicycle racks and outdoor furniture from Rohoznik White cement, forming the most important “supporting actors” of the Athletics World Championships.
After the World Athletics Championships in August 2023, the stadium's temporary seating was dismantled and a rooftop garden erected in its place, featuring a running track, sports equipment, and of course, plenty of concrete benches and waste bins. The park surrounding the stadium offers visitors running tracks, a playground, street workout areas, a skatepark and green spaces to relax in. Our numerous bike racks, bins, and concrete benches located in the area add to the comfortable and enjoyable experience.
Architect: Dr. Marcel Ferencz Habil. DLA / Napur Architect Ltd.
Landscape Architects: Hanna Matécsa, Tamás Sándor / S-TÉR Ltd.
Contractors: ZÁÉV Zrt & Magyar Építők Zrt.
Photo: Bohus Réka, Beáta Kárpáti
