BIG Begins a New Chapter for Hungary’s Natural History Museum

April 29, 2025

BIG Begins a New Chapter for Hungary’s Natural History Museum

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Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has won the international competition to design the new Hungarian Natural History Museum in Debrecen—Hungary’s second-largest city. The ambitious 23,000 m² project will transform a former sports ground at the edge of the historic Nagyerdő (Great Forest) into a cultural and scientific landmark. Replacing the current museum in Budapest, the new institution aims to anchor Debrecen as a regional hub for education and culture by 2030, as envisioned by Hungary’s Ministry of Culture and Innovation.

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvellous,” wrote Aristotle—and it’s this sense of quiet wonder that BIG’s winning design for the Hungarian Natural History Museum channels. Set within Debrecen’s Great Forest, the museum doesn’t disrupt its environment; it becomes an extension of it.

BIG’s winning proposal, developed in collaboration with Vikár és Lukács Építés Stúdió, Museum Studio (London), and TYPSA, introduces an innovative design concept: three overlapping ribbons of landscaped roofscape gently rise from the forest floor, blurring the boundaries between architecture and nature. The result is a public space that invites exploration, fosters learning, and restores the surrounding ecology.

A Manmade Hill in a Forest Clearing

The museum’s striking form is created using mass timber construction, with a façade made of locally sourced charred wood. Partially sunken into the earth, the building gently rises out of the landscape and is crowned with sloping green roofs planted with native species. This architectural language is not just symbolic but regenerative—it actively enhances the site’s biodiversity and sustainability.

“Natural history is a subject dear to me – so dear that I named my oldest son Darwin. To that end, it is a great honor to have been entrusted with the authorship of the Hungarian Natural History Museum in the Great Forest of Debrecen. Our design is conceived as an intersection of paths and lineages. Intersecting ribbons of landscape overlap to produce a series of niches and habitats, halls and galleries, blending the inside and the outside, the intimate and the mastodontic in seamless continuity. The result is a manmade hill in a forest clearing; geometrically clear yet softly organic – an appropriate home for the wonders of the natural world.” – Bjarke Ingels, Founder and Creative Director, BIG

A Building That Restores, Not Replaces

For BIG Partner Hanna Johansson, the project is about more than preservation.

“We envisioned the Hungarian Natural History Museum as an integrated part of its environment, both shaped by and shaping the landscape around it. Constructed from mass timber, the building features a façade of locally sourced charred timber panels that emerge from the ground, blurring the lines between architecture and wilderness. The museum draws on the thermal mass of the ground and integrates on-site energy systems, including geothermal loops and photovoltaic panels, to ensure a stable indoor climate year-round. Rather than simply preserving the site, the building restores and enhances it – regenerating biodiversity while quietly adapting to its surroundings.” – Hanna Johansson, Partner, BIG.

The green roofscape not only insulates the building but also acts as a continuation of the surrounding parkland. It serves as a habitat for flora and fauna, supports stormwater retention, and offers scenic walking paths and gathering spots for the public. The museum’s integration of vegetation both inside and out contributes to a holistic vision of architecture and ecology working in harmony.

Approachable from All Directions

The site design invites visitors to approach the museum from all sides. Whether arriving from the city or meandering through the forest, guests encounter plazas, forest trails, and framed views that gradually reveal the museum. A southern-facing plaza serves as the main entry point and a community hub for public events and museum programming.

Inside, the experience is designed for fluid circulation and visual connection. The central reception hall offers sightlines into each of the exhibition wings, which radiate outward in a pinwheel layout. The plan includes five wings dedicated to permanent exhibitions and one flexible space for rotating shows, community events, and special programs.

Beyond its exhibition spaces, the museum includes a range of public, educational, and scientific functions. A library and a restaurant on the upper levels provide immersive views into the treetops of the surrounding forest. Below ground, a dynamic learning hub hosts play areas, research labs, and workshop spaces for students, families, and museum staff.

Designed for flexibility and inclusivity, the museum is intended as a year-round destination that balances contemplation, discovery, and public gathering. The central compass point ensures that visitors can easily orient themselves while offering surprise encounters and layered experiences across all programs.

Architecture as a Continuation of Nature

One of the key aspects of the project is how it embeds itself within its natural setting without dominating it. The sloped roofs and minimal visual impact from the ground level allow the museum to recede into the landscape rather than impose upon it. This approach reflects BIG’s larger philosophy: architecture should not only be sustainable but also generative—restoring ecosystems, fostering connections, and creating social and cultural value.