Rákosmező

competition (3rd prize)

Rákosmező is our team's third-prize winning design proposal for the "Rákosrendező Masterplan – Urban and Public Space Design Competition," presenting a sustainable, long-term vision for the comprehensive urban development of the Rákosrendező brownfield area — a 244-hectare site situated between Districts XIII and XIV of Budapest.

The vision comprises five interlocking neighbourhoods shaped by parks, forests, and greenways that foster life, community, culture, and tranquillity, collectively delivering 10,000 new apartments with a blend of affordable housing and mixed-use programming.

Rákos Agora, the masterplan's central neighbourhood, is anchored by existing green spaces, mature trees, and historic structures that embody the genius loci of the former railway yard. Through gradual densification from centre to edges, a rhythmically differentiated sequence of private, semi-private, and public spaces allows residents to find their preferred degree of privacy while encouraging community building.

The housing typologies propose an adaptive modular system designed to keep buildings relevant throughout their life cycle. The current mix of units — with approximately 20% dedicated to non-residential uses — is carefully balanced and essential to cultivating sustainable neighbourhoods. A combination of market-rate, subsidised, and cooperative housing models ensures both affordability and a healthy social mix across the development.