Skanska's latest investment in Hungary, H2Offices is one of the company's most impressive projects in Budapest. The new office complex, which already started to be built in the heart of the Váci office corridor is in line with modern business needs such as flexibility of spaces, sustainability and wellbeing of people, and is being developed in accordance with the guidelines of LEED and WELL standards. Budapest office buildings skyline will be enriched with a futureproof one designed with lots of attention to environmental challenges and to the needs of the people working inside.
In August 2020, the construction of Skanska's latest Hungarian project, H2Offices started on the former plot of Budapest Waterworks. We can have now a sneak peek of how the futureproof office complex will look like. The office complex dreamed by Skanska together with the Danish Arrow Architects is approaching environmental consciousness along the principles of traditional Scandinavian design. The result is an innovative, people-centered building that works in harmony with nature.
Inspired by the heritage of the place, water was given a special role even in the naming of the project. Visualizations and the movie of the project now allow us to see this symbolic connection created by the water elements at the placemaking of the building. The garden, which serves as a meeting point and is open to everyone, is filled with the freshness of water and greenery much aspired in the busy urban business district. Smart water management reusing rain and soil water will allow to treat one of our most valuable natural resources in a sustainable way.
The multifunctional garden is surrounded by spacious office spaces lit by natural light, the double height Scandinavian lobby and canopy connecting the buildings give a special character to the project. Good quality indoor air, comfortable workplaces, warm, friendly lighting, natural materials, easily accessible recreational facilities and a range of services await future tenants. Bicycle storage, changing rooms and showers, as well as electric charging stations encourage the use of environmentally friendly transport options, thus reducing the ecological footprint of the users. Employees can also take advantage of workout possibilities on the rooftop running track, enhancing their health and well-being. The green terraces on the top floor will also offer a unique view over the city.
“As a result of the pandemic, there is a strong emphasis on office choice. Tenants are looking for futureproof office buildings that will adapt well to changing circumstances. In H2Offices, health security, human-centeredness, sustainability and innovation are going hand in hand. Energy efficiency and cost-effective operation is a trademark of all Skanska buildings, but such a high level of integration of tenant needs and user experience makes H2Offices an exceptional office project” – said Alexandra Tomášková, EVP Operations Hungary & Czech Republic at Skanska’s commercial development business unit in CEE.
“Togetherness is a strong theme in the design. H2Offices is three buildings with a shared white facade expression set in a green and blue landscape. A canopy binds together all buildings and creates a distinct space at eyelevel framing the buildings and the landscape. The landscaped garden is at the heart of the project, shared by all buildings and people. When entering the garden the white facade transitions to a more warm tone that reinforces the special atmosphere of the landscaped garden. This creates a strong sense of space and community for the H2Offices” – said Ulrik Raysse, Founding Partner, Arrow Architects.
The office complex will offer 65,000 square meters of leasable area in total. The eight floors of the first building will be completed by three underground parking levels. The general design work is going to be made by Studio IN-EX, and the green areas will be created by the Lépték Landscape Architects.