The Tabáni Elevator Pavilion is part of the pedestrian axis connecting Hunyadi Courtyard and Dózsa György Square. While the Stöckl Staircase, currently under reconstruction, and the adjacent elevators reestablish the connection between Hunyadi Courtyard and Csíkos Courtyard, the Tabáni Staircase Pavilion continues this by doing the same between Csíkos Courtyard and Palota Road.
Construction is taking place next to and beneath the National Széchényi Library, so precise and experienced workmanship plays a crucial role during the project. Before construction began, great emphasis had to be placed on coordinating the work with the operating library and ensuring that it does not disrupt its smooth operation. We maintain constant communication during construction and keep the work under continuous supervision. The entire construction site is located in an area of archaeological and historical significance, so we are in constant consultation with the relevant authorities (Historical Preservation, Mining Authority). Before construction began, we had to consult separately with the Counter-Terrorism Center, as the project affects evacuation and shelter areas.
The entire construction process involves a specialized civil engineering method known as the “mining method,” making it completely different from conventional approaches in terms of both technology and execution. The construction of the work area enclosure requires precisely manufactured, custom-sized reinforced concrete arch supports, which we were able to source and manufacture in Germany.
The Tabán elevator and staircase pavilion project begins with a civil engineering phase known as “work area demarcation.” During the work, a tunnel will be excavated using mining methods through the YBL retaining wall built by Miklós YBL and, presumably, through the castle wall dating from the Middle Ages. The tunnel’s primary function during construction is to remove soil, and later it will serve pedestrian traffic connecting the elevator and the stairwell.
