Same again in Budapest

MVM Dome's roof structure supported by mageba structural bearings.

Like the Danube Arena in Hungary’s capital, which was built some years before to host the 2017 World Aquatics Championships, the city’s new MVM Dome – which has since been built to host the 2022 European Men’s Handball Championship – has its roof structure supported by mageba RESTON®SPHERICAL bearings.

Budapest’s MVM Dome, construction of which began in June 2019, is currently Europe’s largest handball arena with over 20,000 seats and a total area of 50,000 m². Originally built with the primary aim of hosting the 2022 European Men’s Handball Championship, the sports complex now also serves as a venue for concerts and exhibitions, as well as other indoor sports such as basketball, tennis and ice skating.

Faced with the important task of selecting a bearing solution to support the Dome’s enormous roof structure, the responsible engineers did not have to look far to find a convincing answer – just 8 km north, in fact, to the Danube Arena aquatics complex, the roof of which has been supported by RESTON®SPHERICAL bearings since its construction in 2015. Thanks to the positive experience of using these mageba bearings on the Danube Arena project, and their good performance to date, it was easy to opt for the same solution again to support the roof of the MVM Dome.

The new sports facility’s roof structure is supported by 44 RESTON®SPHERICAL bearings, each designed for vertical loads of approximately 5,000 kN while also resisting other forces – especially large horizontal forces due to wind – and accommodating movements and rotations as required by the building’s design. 24 of the bearings required to be designed to accommodate additional loading conditions during the roof’s construction.

The bearings were designed and manufactured at mageba’s Hungarian production facility, and installed under mageba supervision.

We take great pride in being trusted to supply what are arguably the most critical components of the key infrastructure of major cities, especially when built for important international sporting events – which seems to be becoming something of a habit for us in Budapest!

Architect: György Skardelli
Contractor: Market Építő Zrt.
Owner: City of Budapest

Budapest’s MVM Dome is Europe’s largest handball arena, with over 20,000 seats and a total area of 50,000 m²
(© Magyar Építők)

The MVM Dome’s large steel roof structure required to be supported by bearings at 44 locations (© Magyar Építők)

Installation of one of the MVM Dome’s 44 RESTON®SPHERICAL bearings, each designed for vertical loads of approximately 5,000 kN while also accommodating movements and rotations

Some of the roof structure’s support bearings were additionally required to resist very large horizontal wind forces

Budapest’s Danube Arena aquatics complex, just eight kilometres north of the MVM Dome, has had its roof supported by RESTON®SPHERICAL bearings since its construction in 2015