The joint project of the British architectural studio Zaha Hadid Architects and domestic architectural studio Bureau Cube Partners won the first prize at the International competition for the architectural and urban conceptual solution of the new Nikola Tesla Museum in the building of the former Milan Vapa’s Paper Mill, in the amount of EUR 60,000.
The winning solution, according to the opinion of the expert jury, combined the rich historical legacy of the Serbian genius Nikola Tesla and the architecture of old Belgrade with the modern appearance of the capital, embodied in Belgrade Waterfront, in the most original and thoughtful way.
The renowned and multiple award-winning British architecture and design studio Zaha Hadid Architects has so far developed 950 projects in 44 countries, among which MAXXI: Museum of XXI Century Arts in Rome and Glasgow Riverside Museum of Transport in Glasgow are the most prominent ones. Among the numerous projects of the domestic architectural studio Bureau Cube Partners, the reconstruction of The Bristol Hotel and The Palace of SANU stand out.
The winning architectural concept of the museum draws inspiration from Tesla’s vision of magnetic fields combined with the idea of wireless transmission of electricity. Spherical surfaces and circles create a striking entrace foyer that leads visitors into the Grand Atrium. The exhibition galleries provide educational insight into Tesla’s work through historical artifacts, interactive displays and multimedia content. Permanenet exhibitions on the first floor combine technology and narrative, while a flexible gallery for temporary exhibitions allows for rotating displays, providing a unique experience for visitors. The most impressive segment of the museum will be the „Tesla Electric Transformer Gallery“, with a capacity of 12 million volts.
46 applications from Serbia and abroad were received at the competition. The expert jury awarded the other prizes as well after the evaluation, during which the wealth of ideas, high design standards and commitment to the sustainability were especially valued. The second prize, in the amount of EUR 40,000, was awarded to the work behind which are authors Zoran Šobić, Marko Filipović and Srđan Stojanović. The third prize, worth EUR 20,000, went to the joint work of William Poole, Jim Richards, Benjamin Walker, Ivan Janković, Saša Popović and Milutin Folić.
The expert jury unanimously awarded a special prize in the amount of EUR 15,000 to the work by authors Szczepan Wronski, Andrzej Bulanda, Ewekina Szelag, Pawel Wolanin, Malgorzata Bonowicz, Mateusz Sokolowski, Krystian Tomczyk, Jakub Hlebowicz and Lukasz Rakowski.
The first factory in Serbia built after the First World War in 1924 will remain a cultural monument under the protection of the Institute for the Protection of the Culture Monuments of the City of Belgrade, but after the planned reconstruction, financed by Belgrade Waterfront, it will be adapted to the needs of the museum, where the entire legacy of one of the greatest minds of all times will be exhibited.
The results can be found on the official webpage of the competition.