Zaha Hadid Architects – in collaboration with Bureau Cube Partners – has won the anonymous competition to transform the old Milan Vapa paper factory in Belgrade into the new Nikola Tesla Museum.

Encompassing 13,400 square meters, the project helps to safeguard the city’s industrial heritage by reusing the listed 1920s building, while maintaining original elements of the manufacturing plant, such as the vaulted ceilings and the chimney.

Drawing inspiration from Tesla’s studies on magnetic fields, wireless transmission of energy, and interconnectivity, the scheme incorporates dynamic elliptical curves that radiate from the old chimney. The refurbishment includes a public entrance on the west facade, marked by a circular aperture that leads visitors into a triple-height central atrium, the site of the mentioned chimney, which is the heart of the museum.

To optimize circulation in the building and make it function efficiently in overall terms, ellipsoidal openings have been made on the walls that divide the interior of the former factory. These curving apertures result in a broad perspective from the west entrance, through the atrium, that ends at the monument to Tesla at the east end of the museum.

Outside, the Nikola Tesla plaza presents paths and gardens whose shapes are inspired by concepts of electromagnetic fields that he developed. The project also features systems for harnessing renewable and geothermal energy while respecting the building’s historical character and enhancing its performance as a prominent cultural site.