ZDA is an architecture and urban design practice based in Budapest and operating internationally, which was founded in 1997 by Prof. Gábor Zoboki DLA and is today one of the leading and most influential architectural firms in Hungary and the CEE region.

ZDA’s human-focused approach to planning and design is deeply rooted in the collaborative and creative process, where function and form complement each other organically. The firm’s aim is to create a powerful interplay between buildings, the environment and the people who use them. They believe that a building feed and shapes the visual and spatial culture of the broader community in addition to serving the existential and aesthetic needs of its occupants.

The firm works on a wide variety of projects that includes multifunctional cultural centres, company headquarters and office buildings, high-end residential projects, urban developments and the renovation of listed buildings.

The firm’s expertise lies in the design of multifunctional and adjustable spaces and performance halls. This includes such projects as MÜPA (Palace of the Arts in Budapest), the Nanshan Cultural Centre in Shenzhen, the National Dance Theatre in Budapest and the Hungarian State Opera House.

Over the past few years, the firm has teamed up with prominent members of the performing arts community – artists, producers, directors and technicians – to gain a deeper understanding of the future requirements of performance halls and other arts venues. This has led to successful competitions and design studies, where the adaptability and configurability of built structures was taken to the next level of complexity and technical excellence.