New Millennium Underground for Budapest

2021

The Millennium Underground was the first metro line on continental Europe, the second one in the world, and that it was completed for Hungary's Millennial jubilee in 1896. The Millennium Underground and the Andrássy Avenue were recognised together as a World Heritage Site in 2002. The Studiomolnar designed the new exterior and interior for Budapest Transport Company's Millennium Underground Trains. Today the millennium underground lane are becoming ever more important in Budapest. The 125 years old Heritage Millennium Underground lane with the new avant-garde design and flexibility solutions of the new trains gives a new identity for the capital of Hungary. 

Challenge

Our challenge was to deliver a design that represents a new icon for transportation in Budapest – and one the rest of the world will envy. The brand new exterior & interior design – all acknowledge the unique role that transport design can play as an emblem of a city or country.The new trains meets the most exacting requirements with regard to eco-design and accessibility, blending into the urban environment whilst maintaining a high performance level. With its long-standing experience in the design and supply of urban solutions. 

Solution

In the project I performed the design of a new underground train (MILLFAV) of Budapest. The new vehicle was expected to meet the new demands and challenges of the capital, and the heritage lane. The new vehicle is 35 metre long and includes 7 units opening into each other. The final concept of the design demonstrates the unity of the size and proportion system formed on the from part, the driver's cabin. The front wall of the vehicle, and the side view has a clear, modern, and timeless character . Principally horizontal arrangement dominates its character. The design consistently follows Budapest city heritage underground train and the underground train's visual identity full of character. The yellow and white colours, minimalism and classical forms lay down the design DNS of the vehicle. This fact is manifested by the angle of the front wall, moreover by the design of the window and the double iconic highlights.

Exterior design

The exterior of the new MILLFAV train car body follows a clear, linear and historical designlanguage. The wish of the service provider was to create a modern and timeless character for the new motorcars. We visualized a clear and modern front, and side theme which symbolizes the strong heritage attitude and respect the strong tradition of the earlier classic vehicles. The MILLFAV (Metro line 1) cars runs via the heart of the capital. The famous World Heritage line under the Andrássy street and Herose's square offers a very uniqe travel experince. The architecture of the front wall and side theme; the sizes and rates are made by the ratio system of the perfect golden ratio, a tribute to the pioneer and excellent engineering performance that made it possible to create this unique underground railway line.  The clear simplicity of it lays stress upon the travel experience and the comfort in the focus. The original tailor-made design, with its unmistakable profile creates a contemporary and forward-looking conception on a new technology level. 

Interior design

The conception of the MILLFAV motorcars interior is to provide an ultimate travel comfort for each and every passenger. The previous trains has classic,millennials style. Thanks for the the traditional body and framework manufacturing technologies shaped the exterior and interior design of the heritage vehicles with strong craftsmanship character. This individual style inspired us to visualize a new interior design. The user-centred design is key priority right from the conceptual design project stage in order to ensure that the new Metro line 1 service can be used by everyone, without exception. The new trains must be designed to be serviceable with no special adaptations or modifications. This inclusive and cozy interior offer a unique quality in this segment for this World Heritage underground line and public transport service for the capital of Hungary.