Competition for preliminary design concepts for urban-architectural development of the complex of Mratinje DamThe concept for architectural intervention
At the beginning of the very design process, in this case there is the
question: what new qualities can we bring into a place so remarkable,
strongly dramatic and beautiful like this one. Mratinje dam and the
artificial lake of Piva river, together with the steep mountain sides,
create the unique space full of contradictions side by side: tension
and peace, wide views and narrow passages, vertical drama and
horizontal calmness, sharpness of the stones and a play of the light
upon the water mirror. To offer an architectural response to such a
vibrant space, is to articulate a few of new elements which would fully
response to the existing game of the contradictions and
supplementations.
Our choice is to accentuate the unique qualities of the site by
creating new possibilities for visitors to experience all its
excitement and beauty. The new architecture should be dedicated
basically to improvement of the experiences to make the new ways for
the visitor to enjoy the landscape and its dramatic change by taking
him or her in the new places were the view is even more beautiful or
spectacular and the sensations even stronger and more complex. Still,
the new facilities should stay discreetly incorporated in the basic
site geometry, its range of textures and the range of its natural
shades. With all of this in our mind, our design proposal is based on
the idea of poetic use of contradictions inherent to this site. The
flatness of the wide still water, juxtaposed to the dramatic cliff on
the other side of the dam, arranged between expressively shaped sides
of the mountain, all together make a setting for the intensive changes
of sensations. Our concept is reflecting our intention to focus on
these sensations, to find a way to guide them and to offer a scenario
to make them stronger and memorable. According to the scale of the
existing space elements, architecture designed to such purposes should
be articulated by the strong gestures, but still calm, silent and pure
in its expression. Overall complex is proposed to have four new
elements which would supplement the existing composition of the natural
site and the dam. To make these new elements more comprehensive, we
named them according to their main purpose, geometry, position and the
role in the complex. Each of them represent a specific episode in the
scenario of the visitors experiences, so we named them accordingly:
Horizontal still water experience (Info object), Vertical cliff
experience (Viewpoint), Green mountain experience (Hostility object)
and Dam experience (small info-points along the dam sidewalk).
HORIZONTAL STILL WATER EXPERIENCE Info object
Info object is placed upon the existing concrete structure with the
high elegant columns, closely by the road line. Curved slightly along
the mountain side towards the lake, the structure is providing a great
scene for the belvedere, but also for an object which would host all
the spaces dedicated to the exhibition purposes, lectures or
conferences, as well as the museum space. The object s position high
above the lake level, offers a great opportunity to create a scenario
for a slow, almost processional-like, climbing to the object, involving
visitors in a process of discovering space through the intensive
physical experience. The long staircase line is contrasted by the long
horizontal space at the end of the climbing path. Optional access is
provided by the elevator placed in the root of the object. The object
of the info center is designed like a very long and narrow linear
structure of a very simple geometry, and facades fully glassed so the
functions are placed in the line through the middle of the structure,
and the communication lines are flowing along the glass facades, so the
view of the landscape is always included in the sight, and ever
changing along the way.
Info object includes the next functions and linearly connected spaces:
Entrance area ,
Room for the presentations and seminars (along with a lobby, and
service room),
Permanent museum setting, Multifunctional space for occasional
exhibitions, performances, concerts, or similar occasional events, and
Viewpoint platform.
VERTICAL CLIFF EXPERIENCE - Viewpoint
Like the adequate equivalent to the Info object gesture related to the
lake horizontality and calmness, Viewpoint object is giving a response
to the atmosphere of the other side of the dam, shaped by the similar
architectural logic. Similar shape like that of the Info object, but
this time turned in vertical possition, makes a different gesture but
with the equivalent strength and the same objective to accentuate the
dominant geometry of the surrounding. The position of the vertical
glass structure of the elevator and platforms is to be deeply in the
canyon of the river Piva emerging after the dam wall, so to provide the
experience of the close presence of dramatic slope of the dam
structure, its height, power, and beauty. The elevator is to be
accessed on the level of the bridge construction, which is to be same
like the level of the dam road surface. At the highest point of the
elevation, there is a little platform in the glass structure which
would provide a viewpoint of 360 degrees. At the lowest point of the
vertical glass structure (around the altitude of 600m) there is to be
the same little platform to be accessed from the elevator as well as
from the level of the mountain pedestrian paths which could be
connected to the old road (also around the level of 600m). The
belvedere bridge is the accessing path to the elevator, but also an
extended promenade and a viewpoint suitable for the gathering of the
excursion groups or place for taking group pictures with the complex
and the dam.
GREEN MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCE Hostility object
Hostility object is placed along and over the big existing concrete
security net placed over the stone, as well as at the level of the flat
area above the concrete net. The current state of this part of the site
is to be used as it is, without big modifications, as a base for a
light steel construction of the hostility object. The very object is to
be a very light structure, simple steel construction, which could host
belvedere terraces, coffee shop with a snack bar, light pedestrian
bridges to the accommodation areas with several double rooms, little
service rooms, and the restaurant terraces at the top of the structure.
The only part of the facility placed on the soil is the restaurant area
at the flat stone terrace on the top, with a big open space suitable
for various activities restaurant (dining), celebration parties,
open-air cinema, music performances, etc.
The object is to be constructed from the grid of the steel
construction, terraces and bridges in it, several box elements (for the
rooms, coffee shop, reception, etc) and a greenery facade\rdblquote a
vertical garden, or a sort of a light shadowing net all over the object
which is to help the object to be even lighter and invisible by
matching it s appearance with the background of the mountain. On the
grid of the object front elevation, covered with the light greenery,
only several fields are open some rooms with a view on the lake, or the
windows of the snack bar looking down the cliff, and also, exposed
places on the belvedere terraces. The hostility object is containing
next spaces and functions:
Belvedere terraces,
Coffee shop with a snack bar,
Reception and administration,
Accommodation area rooms for the visitors, professional excursions,
etc.
Restaurant (with a extended terraces and a bar at the belvedere)
Big terrace suitable for various gathering, music performances,
open-air cinema, etc. DAM EXPERIENCE - Small info-points Along the
sidewalk of the dam, looking down the dam wall, several small
info-points are placed so to extend over the line of the existing
fence. Dam experience boxes are created to give short information about
the dam history and the technical facts, written on their inside walls.
Experience of information reading is dramatically contrasted by the
experience of the height provided by the use of security glass for the
floors of the boxes and their open roof. }

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