The Centre for Promotion of Science is the concept for public architectural-urban competition for the Centre for Promotion of Science in New Belgrade, in block 39 seen as a Belgrade prime ‘innovation’ part of the city.

CONTEXT

Centrally positioned within the regulated pedestrian plane is a public park – Art and Science Park – that touches upon all of the planned future elevations on the assigned lot while functioning as the ‘green heart’ and recreational zone of the complex.

CONCEPT

We started from the key notions of science, future and icon. The set of interpenetrating domes came as a logical and simple yet effective solution for the various requirements placed before us in the design of The Centre for Promotion of Science.

The formation itself is reminiscent of soap bubbles and similar meshed spherical shapes found in nature, which is why it perhaps retains a mysteriousness and an almost magical viscerally graspable, aspect of certain natural phenomenon. The peculiar human reaction to the sublime qualities of a spherical object, a planetoid object, to its lack of edges, its seeming endlessness, with limits permanently escaping the visual field and melting into the horizon, is well known.

The building comprises eleven domes of varying sizes and diameters depending on the spatial requirements of its respective content. The domes intersect within their bases up to the maximum intersection height of 5 meters. The planned construction is based on spherical triangles – a system almost identical to the geodesic (Fuller’s) dome, except that all the triangle sides (bars) on each dome are identical.

The building complex itself has the ambition to become the new major spot on the map of Belgrade, an important addition to the public sphere of the city, an ultimate meeting point and an urban generator.

CURIOSITIES

Idea was to exploit this intriguing quality of spheres as well as emphasize the effect with the use of black, reflective, luminescent material. The black colour always represents a statement or a removal – a distancing from the general surroundings – at the same time it fascinates and repulses, its physical qualities of arresting light and energy are amazing.