#ZHA and @Bureau_Cube win Nikola Tesla Museum design competition
Visionary inventor & engineer, Nikola Tesla shaped the modern world with his groundbreaking contributions to electrical engineering & technology.
The new Nikola Tesla Museum renovates Belgrade’s historic Paper Mill into a cultural destination celebrating Tesla’s legacy while preserving the city’s architectural heritage.
Built by Belgrade industrialist Milan Vapa and opened in 1924, the paper mill was decommissioned and used as the storage facility of a freight company until being abandoned approximately a decade ago.
The museum’s design draws on Tesla’s research into magnetic fields & wireless energy transfer, incorporating dynamic elliptical curves radiating from the old factory chimney, the site’s dominant feature.
A new circular opening in the factory’s western façade will be the public entrance leading visitors to the triple-height central atrium anchored by the historic chimney at the heart of the museum.
To enhance circulation in the building’s continued life as a museum, ellipsoidal sectional openings will be carved within the walls that divide the old factory’s interior. These openings define a series of 3D spherical voids that create an extended perspective when viewed from the western entrance.
Featuring a 12-million-volt transformer, the Tesla Electronic Transformer Gallery will showcase Tesla’s pioneering spirit. Other visitor amenities include café, a multipurpose hall & rooftop restaurant with views of the Sava River.
Outside, Nikola Tesla Square will be a new public space for the city that connects with Belgrade Waterfront as well as the city’s transport network.
Minimising ecological impact through passive design in addition to the use of renewable and geothermal energy, the paper mill’s restoration preserves its historic façades, vaulted ceilings and masonry, while updating its structure to serve as one of the city’s most important cultural destinations.
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