BBB's restoration and redevelopment of Exchange Palace, a monumental historic landmark in the center of Budapest, Hungary, will create a dynamic mix of office, retail, and cultural uses.
Originally built in 1905 to house the Budapest Stock and Commodities Exchange, the grand Beaux Arts building was designed by Ignacz Alpar in the distinctive Art Nouveau style of the Hungarian Secession. Under Soviet influence in 1956, it was converted into the Hungarian State Television station (Magyar Televizio) and underwent major interior modifications over several decades as large spaces were remodeled to accommodate television sound stages.
With its central location on Szabadsag (Liberty) Square, the building is being redeveloped as office, retail, and cultural space. As part of the phased adaptive reuse plan, the ornate historic facades will be restored, along with the remaining grand interior spaces, most notably the main entrance stair hall and the central domed rotunda. Three new office floors will occupy each of the two monumental Exchange Halls, with vertical atrium spaces open to the remaining historic architectural features. The attics will be reconstructed to provide additional leasable space and green planted roof terraces.
All new mechanical and vertical transportation systems will be installed to create a state-of-the-art, Class A office facility. The restoration of the ground floor retail spaces will once again allow cafes with sidewalk seating to animate the streetscape along Nador Utca and Szabadsag Ter. The restoration plan was approved by the National Monuments Committee, and building permits were granted in 2017.