A couple days ago, we featured Wolfgang Tschapeller‘s entry for the international competition initiated by the Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia. Now, Milos Zivkovic, Nebojsa Stevanovic, Janko Tadic, Aleksandar Gusic and Slobodanka Tadic have teamed up for this competition and shared with us their entry for The Center for Promotion of Science where they aim to mitigate the many problems New Belgrade creates for its citizens by creating different environments through a continuous movement within the space. More images and architects’ description after the break.
New Belgrade
Although New Belgrade was designed with the most modern principals of architecture for the time when it was planned, during the years some deficiencies have occurred.Like any other individual examples of settlements built on the principles of the Athens Charter, New Belgrade creates many problems for its citizens. Over-sized open spaces, morphological monotony of buildings, loss of human dimensions of space, overdetermined and rigid physical structure, which together led to the alienation of people and the city.
Idea
Block 39 is planned as a future education center, a continuation of the enrichment process of the New Belgrade. The basic idea for the block 39 is to break up large public areas with micro spaces that would create different environments within the block. It has been done with mild interventions in the ground on more important meeting places on the site, that are obtained by creating two intertwined areas within block divided by main pedestrian corridor. Proposition also includes the idea of creating a traffic free environment using underground vehicular traffic and parking lots that have access to facilities and major parts of the block.
Within each zone, an additional content to the program is proposed. Business incubator to the educational and comercial facilities to the business zone which are located on section point of these two areas. The main pedestrian corridor sets up research centers and Center for Promotion of Science which is rotated to orthogonal placement of the other buildings to highlight the entry and importance of this object in the block. Colleges have been established in educational area where their separation from the rest of the block allows the creation of more private environments for students.
Center for Promotion of Science
The object is a place where two ages crash – a collision of modern function and retro environment. Its architecture should provoke, associates, intrigue observers as much as its users. The concept of exhibition spaces which are formed in the period from the creation of the New Belgrade until now assumed a certain transformation. The first type, seemingly offered nothing more than a large spacious levels (halls), where exhibits met their observers. It had its focus on exhibit and didn’t allow it’s users to connect with the exhibits. It was improved with some projects that created multiple intimate ambients, while user could dedicate his time to work of art that he was intrigued with. In time exhibits have taken on a new form, so today the requirements for new architectural concepts have changed further. User now becomes a participant and without him exhibition does not exist. Exhibit itself is meaningless until the user activates it and takes part in it. By doing that he also becomes a part of exhibition. Together they form a spectacle.
Main space is formed by delevelled staggered slabs that are recessed in relation to the facade so they can be perceived from all levels and angles. With continuous movement through space and the use of exhibits, user creates a form of event for himself and for the observer. All elements of the facility are subordinated to this idea and so are the access ramp and conference room that form environments that look out on whole space of exhibition. The highest level of the building is formed in relation to program requirements, it is compact and offers dark areas that correspond to different types of exhibitions. In the floor there are gaps through which you get a new perspective on the spectacle. Facade of the building is put in use as a filter for the outside observers who watch through fresnel lenses which are on three sides of object. It gives them ability to see enlarged image of inside space giving them a whole different perception of the Center for Promotion of Science.
In both terms of function and shape, building is divided to segments that follow specific needs of space. Ground floor lowered by 5 meters from its surroundings with the main entrance from inside the block. Entrance is emphasized by a large amphitheater with access ramps, stairs and square terrace gardens. Garage entrance is in the central hall and gives visitors a unique impression while entering the building. Employees enter the building directly in the back of the house which is separated from the visitors area by a lare island with visitor services – info point, booking desk and first aid. While the most important feature of the hall space are blob like planetarium and exhibition slabs, another amphitheatre is positioned inside the building and gives the best view to the entire hall. When needed, a curtain separates it from the rest of the object giving its users more privacy while obtaining a new purpose – conference hall. Top slab houses a dark exhibition area and a restaurant. It stands on three groups of three columns and a concrete core. It has a corten plates facade with window strips that have their own layer of penetrated corten so that the solidity of the slab would stay uninterrupted.
Architects: Milos Zivkovic, Nebojsa Stevanovic, Janko Tadic, Aleksandar Gusic, Slobodanka Tadic Consultant: Mihajlo Samardzic Location: Belgrade, Serbia Year: 2010 Status: competition Net area: 11,100 sqm Cost: 15,500,000 €
