Laying of the Cornerstone
Ranking 5th among top AEC (architecture / engineering /
construction) software vendors worldwide, Graphisoft, well-known for
its successful architectural design solution, Archicad, founded its
new headquarters in Budapest in May, 1997. Graphisoft, with a US$19M
turnover in 1996 and a plan of US$25M for this year, has been giving
top priority to the company’s international presence since 1982, the
company’s foundation. From 1989 Graphisoft opened offices in the
U.S., Germany, Japan and Hong Kong. New subsidiaries will open in
London and Madrid in June this year. Archicad is distributed by
independent partners in over 80 countries worldwide.
Dramatic market growth demands a similar development of the
R&D base. The company wants to secure its uninterrupted progress
away from the city’s noise, in an environment that is quiet but
easily accessible. The new headquarters were designed to be a
creative workshop of human proportions, similar to software
development centers worldwide that are separate from
hardware-oriented, gigantic high tech industrial parks.
The site chosen for the Graphisoft Park in Obuda in 1996 satisfies
these needs and demands. Graphisoft purchased an area of seven
hectares (72 654 sq.m. / 17.95 acres) from the City of Budapest, part
of the former site of the
Industrial Gas Factory on the Danube bank. Considering the
advantages of the site it was anticipated that beyond the new
Graphisoft headquarters several other companies of similar profile
may also be attracted to the Park and the architectural design of the
Graphisoft Park reflects this projection.
In order for the built environment to conform to Graphisoft’s
expectations, the new zoning plan allows only 15% of the site to be
covered with buildings instead of the original 30%. At the completion
of the project an approximate office area of 20,000 sq.m. will be
available. In the first phase, until May, 1998, 5.000 sq.m. of office
and the landscaping of the whole site will be completed.
The seven hectares of the Park will accommodate a pond,
restaurants, and a recreation center with tennis courts and saunas. A
parking area for 400 cars will be built, even a jetty on the Danube
for staff or guests arriving by boats.
Graphisoft will occupy more than half of the available office
space in the high tech red brick buildings that were designed to be
in visual harmony with the protected historic industrial buildings of
the site. The first company to rent offices in the Park is Honka, a
loghome construction firm from Finland, one of Graphisoft’s most
important customers, who will move their design department here.
Already in the first phase two further detached office buildings will
be offered for rent.
For more information please contact:
Sales & Marketing Dept.
Phone: (36.1) 467 3010 Fax: (36.1) 467 3099 E-mail: