Did you know that Bertalan Lajos Street, stretching between the Danube riverbank and one of the main thoroughfares of Budapest’s District XI, forms a pedestrian-friendly axis connecting several of BME’s historic and contemporary campus buildings?

This unique urban corridor sits at the intersection of university life and city life, linking academic spaces, public areas, and key urban routes. Yet despite its strategic location and immense potential, parts of the area remain underutilised, with vacant plots, ageing buildings, and opportunities for redevelopment waiting to be explored.

From 9 to 11 February 2027, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) will transform this real-world challenge into an opportunity for innovation through an international interdisciplinary hackathon dedicated to reimagining the future of Bertalan Lajos Street.

Bringing together students, academics, and external stakeholders from across the EELISA Alliance, the three-day event will invite participants to develop creative and sustainable design proposals for the area. Working on a genuine urban transformation site, participants will engage in hands-on, project-based learning while contributing fresh perspectives to BME’s long-term sustainable campus development strategy.

Following an online preparation phase, 24 students from EELISA partner universities will collaborate in six interdisciplinary teams supported by academic mentors and experts. Through introductory lectures, guided site visits, urban mapping exercises, intensive teamwork, and final presentations, participants will tackle the complex relationship between campuses and cities.

The challenge

Participants will have to envision Bertalan Lajos Street as a vibrant 24/7 urban environment that promotes sustainable mobility, attractive public spaces, innovative housing solutions, and stronger connections between university buildings and the surrounding city. Teams will explore adaptive reuse strategies, placemaking interventions, and new mixed-use developments that can enhance both campus life and urban vitality.

The hackathon will culminate in a series of conceptual proposals, physical models, and strategic recommendations designed to support sustainable campus–city integration. Beyond generating innovative ideas, the event will foster intercultural exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of practical skills needed to address today’s urban and environmental challenges.

By turning a real urban corridor into a living laboratory for experimentation and co-creation, this hackathon offers participants a unique opportunity to help shape the future of one of Budapest’s most promising university districts.

WHEN

From 9 to 11 February, 2027

WHERE

Onsite, in budapest

Online, as a series of workshops previously held

APPLICATION

Apply via Digital Campus until 16 November 2026