Soundscape aims to be more than just a museum, rather an important center for music and a welcoming destination for Budapest’s inhabitants and visitors. Music lovers and passersby will be able to enjoy the facility as a hub for art, relaxation, and creation. Its central location will identify it as both a cultural and public space. The monument is a poetic interpretation of the music box, both in its sculptural form and in its representation of a voyage though the world of acoustic harmonies.

By adopting this ‘soundscape’ shape, the designers are able to implement acoustic phenomena, such as diffraction, reflection, and absorption, which is capable of generating different types of sonic ambiances. Construction consists of specific materials ubiquitous to music: wood, brass, and stone. Each having unique properties that allow them to carry and reflect sound. Extensively used throughout the three lobbies, these components compose the core of the building. As visitors circulate amongst them, they are able to visualize and engage with the contrasts between individual acoustic universes.

The skyline of the complex has been pitched at a lower scale than its context in order to create a dialogue with and signify respect for the surrounding park’s iconic buildings, especially the Vajdahunyad Castle. Open in every direction, the massing is divided to reinforce its central position in the landscape, attracting visitors and bringing flexibility to various activities.

A key aspect of the project is its function as public space. The organization of programs brings together entrance plazas, an open theatre, outdoor stages, bleachers, and a courtyard. The amorphous outer layer contrasts with the interiority of the center, where a delicate membrane of strips that circumnavigate the volume stands as the main architectural feature. Organized in a circular plan, the entries form a never-ending orchestral ring in which the city’s inhabitants, visitors, students, and composers are fully immersed within a musical experience.