Photo: 4mind.rsThe first step in the preparation of the project for the extension and expansion of its capacities was made with the competition for the conceptual solution for the reconstruction of part of the University Center in Belgrade, which was held in April this year. The winning conceptual solution in the competition was created by the project bureau "4MIND doo" from Belgrade, and the block in question, which is located on Bulevar Kralja Aleksandra, contains the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Mechanical Engineering and Technology and Metallurgy, as well as the University Library "Svetozar Marković" and the building State Archives of Serbia. The intra-block zone between the faculty buildings has been an unused and devastated space for years, so the reconstruction project of the entire block involves planning, architectural and functional integration of the space, which will result in the connection of students of all faculties through a series of common contents. The reconstruction project of the University Center is in the process of drawing up technical documentation, the signing of the design contract is currently expected, and if the contract is concluded by the end of this year, the construction works could start in the fall of 2023 at the earliest.
PHOTO: 4MIND.RS
The project is very extensive and as such is conceived as multi-phase, and includes the construction of a new building of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, the addition of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, as well as the construction of independent supporting units. The total gross area (GRFA) of the newly built part of the complex is 34,347 m2, of which 18,212 m2 is on the underground and 16,134 m2 on the above-ground floors. As the central idea of the reconstruction is better utilization of the intra-block space, the facilities that are currently located there will be removed, including the annex that houses the laboratory of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering with the wind tunnel. The new wind tunnel will be built in the new ETF building, extending through the basement and basement floors in the part of the building towards Ruzveltova street.
PHOTO: 4MIND.RS
In the first phase of implementation, the construction of a new ETF building, i.e. the main connecting building in the inner courtyard, is planned, which will be connected on one side with the building of the Faculty of Engineering and on the other with the building of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Technology. In it, additional teaching capacities are planned for the ETF, Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering, as well as the mentioned common contents for all five faculties. Common facilities would mostly be located in the ground-floor facility planned in the back of the University Library, and include exhibition spaces, an information and documentation center, cafes and restaurants, a fitness club, rooms for displaying faculty achievements, and the like. In the second phase, the courtyard building of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering would be extended to the height of the street building, and this wing would also serve the needs of the ETF, as laboratory space and for the missing professors' offices. This upgrade will be directly linked to the new ETF object via warm links.
PHOTO: 4MIND.RS
One of the recognized qualities of the competition work 4 MIND is certainly the challenge of numerous volume limitations, which was successfully solved by placing the largest part of functions/programs in floors below the urban platform - artificial topography, which primarily protects the monumental values and architectural heritage of existing buildings. Another important contribution of the winning solution is the planned uneven plateaus, partially inclined and covered with low and tall vegetation, which creates a significant public space for students and citizens, as well as new pedestrian communications. Finally, we should highlight the architectural concept of the entrance part and the new plateau towards Ruzveltova street, which creates an attractive pedestrian approach to the main entrance to the new building, with transparent glass surfaces of the above-ground floors and an airy entrance hall.
PHOTO: 4MIND.RS
In addition to the new wind tunnel, a large underground garage with 205 parking spaces and access from Carnegie Street, as well as space for the future substation, which will be relocated from the courtyard of the State Archives of Serbia, is planned on the underground floors (Su+Po) of the building. The ground floor level of the future building with access from Ruzveltova Street, in addition to the entrance hall, is intended as a space for amphitheatres (3 amphitheatres, each for 200 students), a congress/celebration hall, a cafeteria, a teacher's club, the ETF Computing Center and computer rooms for classes. The wing with common contents for all faculties in the back of the University Library will be accessed from the ground floor, reports beobuild.rs.
PHOTO: 4MIND.RS
The first floor of the new ETF building is on the ground floor level of the existing Technical Faculties building, so a warm connection between the old and the new building was designed on this level, through which access to all classrooms and accompanying professors' offices is achieved. Through this floor, a warm connection of the existing building of the Faculty of Engineering with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering was realized. The Center for Scientific Research and Innovation Center, as well as space for student organizations and a "start-up" center are planned on the second floor. This floor is mostly a green roof, and access to this roof is provided via the ramp intended for pedestrians from the direction of Ruzveltova Street, and from the old building from the level of the first floor, which is used by the Faculty of Civil Engineering.
PHOTO: 4MIND.RS
The roof planes are intended as green areas, grassy with low vegetation and seating positions on the inclined planes. At the very top of the building, i.e. in the places designed as viewpoints with views of the surrounding parks, high greenery is planned, i.e. a composition of trees that forms a mini park area. In this way, the authors of the winning solution achieved the continuity of the green park that connects the Tašmajdan Park and the Ćirila i Metodija Park.
PHOTO: 4MIND.RS
The implementation of the entire project and its financing was provided by loans from the Development Bank of the Council of Europe. If there are no major delays in the preparation of technical documentation, the tender for the contractor can be expected in July next year.
Source: beobuild.rs
Photo: 4mind.rs
