
Puskás Ferenc Labdarúgó Akadémia
LOCATION:
Ferenc (HU)
ARCHITECT:
Tamás Dobrosi
MODEL:
Eloisse
MORE INFO:
www.msmarquitectos.es (architects)
www.pfla.hu (client)
PHOTOS MAGYAR ÉPÍTÖK:
www.magyarepitok.hu (contractor)
Felcsút is a community of 1800 souls in the Váli Valley, 40 kilometres west of Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Since 2004, the locality has hosted the largest education center for aspiring young footballers in the country. In 2006, the institution was renamed after one of football´s great legends, Olympic and European champion Ferenc Puskas
Ferenc Puskás was the captain of the legendary “Mighty Magyars”, a team perhaps most famous for thrashing England 6-3 in Wembley in 1953 in what was to become known as “the Match of the Century”. Later on, he immigrated to Spain and he continued to delight the fans with his skills for another decade as a player for Real Madrid. He was also a three time winner of the European Champion Clubs’ Cup, the predecessor of the Champions League, and a four-time Spanish league top scorer. He worked on all continents, from Australia to Chile, from Canada to Saudi Arabia or Greece, and wherever he went, he quickly earned adoration for his gentle, cheerful and generous character. Pancho, as nicknamed by his teammates in Real Madrid, had an outstanding knack for developing young talents. By taking his name, the Football Academy made a point of continuing this noble pursuit; a promise they acted upon when constructions were started in 2008.
The first building of the complex to be finished was the dormitory – a reconstruction of a former noble residence, the work was based on plans by Imre Makovecz, the central figure of Hungarian organic architecture. This was followed by the inauguration of the professional and medical center and later the canteen of the Academy, executed by the Master’s disciple at the itinerant school, Tamás Dobrosi.
The idea of a roofed arena was born after the successful construction of approximately 8 grass and artificial practice pitches. Daring to dream even bigger, the management of the Academy decided to build a UEFA category III football stadium suitable for hosting Hungarian league matches and junior tournaments as well as any kind of international competition up to the second qualifying round of the Europa League and the Champions League. As opposed to the gigantic complexes preferred in the first half of the last century, some of which were capable of hosting more than a hundred thousand enthusiasts, current trends point towards smaller, but more efficient and complex recreation facilities.
The sponsor was firmly determined to apply the concept of Hungarian organic architecture to the entire building complex. He wanted to create an eye catching trademark piece of architecture with unique appearance, outstanding even in international comparison. Thus the use of special and uncommon materials was not only a mere whim, but an express requirement. Sprouting from pillars of reinforced concrete, the lattice wood roof is spread out over the tribunes like the canopy of the tree line around a clearing. The underlying concept was to build a structure which is unique and exceptional due to its own inner logic and clean static system, integrating the rational tendency of contemporary Hungarian stadium architecture with more complex forms and structures in an innovative context.
Ascénder took part in this superb stadium considered for many people as one of the most beautiful venues in the world; 250 Eloisse chairs were installed in the main auditorium of the academy. For this particular venue the architect selected a chair with pure lines and wooden finishes – back, seat and standards are varnished in the same tone of the structure of the building. Additionally, these seats have concealed fixing system and no visible screws in any of their outer panels; seat & back covers were manufactured with double stitching and the seat has an extraordinary silent tipping system.