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Zaha Hadid Architects transforms historic paper mill into Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade

17 of January '25
Technical data
NAME: NICOLA TESLA MUSEUM
function: MUSEUM
location:

BELGRAD, Serbia

investor: BELGRADE WATERFRONT
project:

Zaha Hadid Architects, BUREAU CUBE PARTNERS

ZHA project director: MANUELA GATTO
ZHA project team: BESAN ABUDAYAH, THOMAS BAGNOLI, ARMANDO BUSSEY, ALICIA HIDALGO, PANOS IOAKIM, JUNG YEON KWAK, CATHERINE MCCANN, YEVGENIYA POZIGUN, HOUZHE XU, ZIXIN YE
ZHA smart museum project: ULI BLUM, DANIAL HAZIQ
ZHA sustainability team: BAHAA ALNASSRALLAH, ADITYA AMBARE, CARLOS BAUSA MARTINEZ, ABHILASH MENON, DISHA SHETTY, JING XU
Bureau Cube Partners (BCP) project director : MILAN RAŠKOVIĆ
BCP project team: DANIJELA BAKIC, MILOS BOJINOVIC, NADICA DAVIDOVIC, ANA MARIA GASPAR, MILENA IVANOVIC, MILENA KALINIC, SASA KOSTIC, SANJA KOSTIC, BOJANA MAKSIMOVIC, ZORA PAJCIN, ALEKSANDA STEVANOVIC, ANA SUMAN, NIKOLA UMICEVIC, SARA VASIC, STEFAN JOVANOVIC
sustainability engineering: MAX FORDHAM
structural engineering
(new additions):
LANIK I. S.A
structural engineering (restoration): DB ENGINEERING D.O.O
installation engineering (MEP): CONVENTUS CONSULTANTS D.O.O
lighting design: LICHTVISION DESIGN LTD
visualizations: XUNIVERSE, NORVISKA, 3D POINT D.O.O

calendar:

  • project

Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade,
design: Zaha Hadid Architects

[Material prepared from the author's description of the studio]

Architectural studio Zaha Hadid Architects, in cooperation with Serbian Bureau Cube Partners, has won first place in the competition to design the Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade. The new Nikola Tesla Museum will be built in the restored historic Milan Vapa paper mill in Belgrade, whose spaces will be adapted to commemorate the Serbian-American engineer's achievements.

Muzeum Nikoli Tesli w Belgradzie - wizualizacja widoku na bryłę budynku z lotu ptaka

Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade - visualization of a bird's-eye view of the building's massing

visualization: Norviska © Zaha Hadid Architects

the inventor who changed the face of the
of the modern world

Nikola Tesla, an inventor and engineer from Croatia, played a key role in the development of the modern world through his breakthroughs in electrical engineering and technology. His best-known achievement was the development of alternating current, but his achievements also include the invention of the Tesla coil, early innovations in wireless communications, and concepts that formed the basis for the development of radio and radar technology. Tesla's work, which took place from the 1880s to the early 20th century, continues to influence modern innovations in the fields of energy, communications and technology.

Nikola Tesla's new museum
in a historic paper mill

The paper mill, built by industrialist Milan Vapa and opened in 1924, was the country's first modern factory. After its industrial operation ended, the building served as a warehouse for a transportation company, but has stood empty for nearly a decade. The building has been protected by the Belgrade Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, and its renovation to turn the building into a museum is being funded by the Belgrade Waterfront Project.

Muzeum Nikoli Tesli w Belgradzie - wejście do budynku

Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade - entrance to the building

visualization: Norviska © Zaha Hadid Architects

Inspired by Tesla's legacy:
The dynamic form of the museum

The museum's design is inspired by Nikola Tesla's research on magnetic fields and wireless energy transmission technology. In reference to the idea of magnetic forces and interconnections, the architectural concept will be based on elliptical curves that will radiate out from the historic factory chimney, which serves as the central element of the entire establishment. A circular entrance in the factory's western elevation, planned as a key landmark, will lead visitors to the central courtyard. Its centerpiece will be the historic chimney, which will serve as the symbolic heart of the 13,400-square-meter museum.

Increasing the museum's spaciousness

To improve the functionality and flow of space in the building, which serves as a museum, ellipsoidal openings have been planned in the walls dividing the interior of the former factory. These cutouts will create recesses with a spherical shape that will optically lengthen the space visible from the western entrance, through the atrium, to the Tesla monument located at the eastern end of the museum.

diverse exhibitions
and interactive experiences in the museum's galleries

The galleries on the second floor of the museum will provide a space where interactive installations and immersive presentations will be combined with historical objects. Temporary galleries will host exhibitions and events that will provide visitors with a diverse and changing experience on each subsequent visit.

Muzeum Nikoli Tesli w Belgradzie - wizualizacja galerii wewnątrz budynku

Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade - visualization of the indoor gallery

Visualization: Norviska © Zaha Hadid Architects

Tesla gallery with transformers
and panoramic view

Dedicated to transformers, the Tesla Gallery will feature a 12-million-volt transformer, offering visitors a unique experience that will highlight Tesla's innovative contribution to technology. The facility will also feature a variety of visitor amenities, including a café, a spacious multipurpose room and a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views of the Sava River.

plaza in front of the museum

A Nikola Tesla plaza is planned in front of the building, with a design inspired by the engineer's concepts on electromagnetic fields. The winding paths and gardens within this urban design are intended to improve the accessibility of the space, as well as provide a seamless connection to the Belgrade Waterfront district and the city's transportation network.

Muzeum Nikoli Tesli w Belgradzie - wizualizacja galerii Tesli poświęconej transformatorom

Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade - visualization of Tesla's transformer gallery

Visualization: Xuniverse © Zaha Hadid Architects

sustainable renovation

The project aims to minimize environmental impact through passive design solutions and the use of renewable energy sources, including geothermal energy. The renovation of the paper mill involves preserving the historic facades, vaulted ceilings and traditional masonry, while adapting the building to new functions that will make it one of the city's key cultural landmarks.

Elaborated: Anastazja Dżupina

Illustrations provided courtesy of Zaha Hadid Architects.

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