Digital prototype for new concept in urban development

The selected development area is located along the Tisza river at the Szeged-Tápéi bay. It includes the Szőke Tisza, the remains of a steam ship of significant industrial historical importance. The historic steamboat, which was built in Budapest in 1917 and has had a turbulent history, was lifted onto dry land in January 2020 after two decades of trials and tribulations. Due to its historical significance, the Szőke Tisza ship could become an important part of Hungarian cultural heritage. The renovated ship could become a tourist attraction because of the geographical location of Szeged, given its proximity to the Serbian-Romanian-Hungarian tri-border area.

MAHART Tiszayacht Kft. operates next to the development area. Before and since the change of regime, its main activity has been the manufacture, repair, and renovation of ships and floating vessels at its 15,000 m2 site. Ships and yachts equipped with modern technology require modern repair technology and modern equipment. The existing ship lift slipway was built to lift steel-hulled ships and barges, but a slipway with a different operating principle is needed to lift the ships that are expected to arrive.

One of the proposals for the utilization of the development area within the framework of social planning was the construction of a modern, 21st-century practical training center with a floor area of nearly 3,000 m2, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, which could be an important "flagship" in the digitization of both the construction industry and the region's industry.

Contextualisation: mapping and identification of conceptual space

The concepts that were identified as possible target areas for digital prototype development were discussed in the framework of the artistic residency of the K-ARTS Foundation in Kecskemét in June 2025. The artists discussed the esthetic and practical aspects of the presented alternatives on 10^th June 2025 which was followed by several discussions about practical details of traditional and modern technologies, as well.

Co-Ideation to develop a new meaning of the conceptual space

The co-creation workshop was organized in cooperation with Archenerg Cluster in Szeged on the 29^th October 2025 with the participation of representatives of the local ecosystem in Szeged. The presented models for sustainable development of the action areas were discussed in small working groups and the findings were summarized and forwarded to the contractor that was selected for digital prototype development.

Validation of Impact and Feasibility of Digital Prototype

The validation workshop was organized at the EDUPARK office in Budapest on the 9^th December 2025 with the participants from various stakeholder companies. The comments and questions raised during the discussion contributed significantly to the refinement and finalization of the concept.

BIM Group as selected contractor for digital prototype development designed the “EDUPARK development concept” which describes the development actions of the Tisza riverside area following circularity and sustainability principles in the re-thinking of the former ship repair facility.

The development concept has resulted in a complex, forward-looking and feasible urban development model that can strengthen the economic, social and cultural position of Szeged and its region in the long term. Building on the industrial heritage of the Tisza River, contemporary educational and innovation needs, and sustainable urban living, the plan offers new development prospects for the 21st century.