Palace of the Arts
SMP Solutions played a part in the design of Müpa Budapest’s security systems by installing heat and smoke extraction systems. During the project, we contributed our specialist expertise in building safety to the development of the venue’s technical infrastructure. The project is a fine example of SMP Solutions’s experience in implementing complex building safety solutions that meet high technical requirements.
The challenge
During the project, the 18 heat and smoke extraction windows on the roof of the Palace of Arts/Ludwig Museum were replaced with 36 glazed louvre structures. It was not only the considerable working height that made this project unique: the museum’s exhibition spaces and valuable artworks were situated directly beneath the work area. Working safely therefore required even more rigorous preparation than usual, specialised safety measures and precise coordination across several disciplines.
Implementation
SMP Solutions was responsible for the complex technical coordination of the entire process. At the client’s request, we prepared the townscape planning procedure relating to the change in the façade’s appearance, organised the hoisting of the new structures onto the roof by crane, and ensured the safe removal of the dismantled elements. To protect the exhibition spaces and artworks, we devised a specialised damage-prevention and protective structure, which we installed and moved using mountaineering techniques whilst the work was in progress. In addition to the mechanical modifications, we also rebuilt the control system to ensure it could properly manage the new technical configuration.
What we’re proud of
The project is a fine example of SMP Solutions’s comprehensive construction and integration capabilities: we had to coordinate design, planning permission, mechanical engineering, control systems, logistics and specialist health and safety considerations within a single project. We carried out all this within a functioning, high-profile cultural institution, in a unique architectural setting and in the immediate vicinity of valuable works of art. We are proud that our specialists are able to integrate different disciplines into a single, safely implementable technical solution, even in projects requiring complex, bespoke solutions.