BIG Designs Hungarian Natural History Museum in Debrecen, Emphasizing Sustainability and Public Access

Danish architecture studio BIG has unveiled its design for the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Debrecen's Great Forest. Commissioned by the Ministry of Culture and Innovation, the museum aims to establish Debrecen as a regional education and culture hub by 2030. The design features three overlapping ribbons rising from the forest floor, incorporating exhibition space, educational facilities, and public amenities. The building will utilize a mass timber structure and charred timber facade, partially sunken into the ground to integrate with the environment. A sloping, accessible roof will offer city views. Bjarke Ingels, BIG's founder, describes the design as an intersection of paths and lineages, blending inside and outside spaces in a seamless continuity, creating a man-made hill within the forest.