Bratislava, Slovakia

Bratislava New City Centre

1. URBAN SCENE

HINGE URBAN SPACE
It is not an isolated, self-supporting, introspective proposal, but exactly the opposite: it intends the linkage of different urban meshes and neighbourhoods. It proposes the suture of diverse urban arrangements. The plot is placed in a hinge area, somewhere between the historical centre and new developments. Consequently, our project proposal means a conceptual, visual, functional link with the rest of the city.

BRIDGE PROPOSAL
It allows the connection between the new and the historical: it is a bridge proposal between both views. Therefore, it is a solution that connects urban meshes, urban spaces, urban views; it starts from the premise of linkage. The project is intended to record the trace of past. Therefore, the project gets back on some key issues to formulate his proposal: its location inside the physical, historical city; its visual interplay with the historical core; the outlook from the plot does not forget its past, but set itself up as an urban belvedere: the castle, the river…

PARKLAND AREAS FOR THE CITY
We want our proposal connects other parklands that are laid out in the city, not just other tiny patio garden. Certainly, a cultural, social infrastructure as the new National Gallery will lead to generate a higher urban scale space, so that it transcends the given plot.

2. BUILDING SHAPING

Formally, the project is conceived as a prism –long tube with square section- that folds and twists, forming vertical and horizontal towers in a unitary ensemble –body made up of arms- whose own structure is sustained in only a few points.

The geometry adopted by the building tries to “embrace” the old Thermal Power Plant building, so it arranges a semi-ring whose centre is intended to be the National Art Gallery.

The building does not touch the ground: it works out totally above the ground, releasing to the utmost the ground floor, conceiving a wide garden urban lounge. In this manner, almost the whole extent of the ground level is set free for the city and for the building itself. At the same time, it allows inner rooms to get better lighting, more sun lighting and move away from soil dampness.

3. IMAGE

The project tries to offer a linking bonding with history. Otherwise, visual connection is also pursued. To achieve it, a triple look is given:
- A distant view that shapes a new skyline maintaining conceptual continuity with mediaeval town roofs.
- A halfway view that settles an urban-scale greenery filter.
- A closer view proposes vast parkland, treated as a wide urban covered lounge that embraces the old Thermal Power Plant.

4. ART MUSEUM – THERMAL POWER PLANT

Conceptually, the action plan for the old Thermal Plant is based on two premises:
- Absolute respect to the old building
- Maximum flexibility for future uses: art, design, architecture, etc.

Big bridge-cranes are envisaged, as if they were mobile floors. In doing so, changing layouts are obtained, according to different requirements. This solution allows including new mobile spaces, which may change longitudinally, with no disturbance of the original building.

Europaconcorsi Beta

Bratislava New City Centre