In Belgrade’s Danube Flower, two architectural offices, the Belgrade based 4of7 and the London based Superfusionlab came together to create a high specification fitness centre, the “Wellness Sky”, a centre that promotes a healthy and active lifestyle. On Belgrade’s waterfront 35 years ago the Danube Flower rose to become one of the city’s most prominent structures. It stands as one of the most important landmarks of the city’s communist era architecture and is a listed monument. The building fell into disuse over a fifteen year period which brought about considerable deterioration. Even before it was brought back to use the combination of architectural expression and structural logic was the element that gave the building its unique character. Rising to 15m, the main volume of the triangular structure overlooks the river and coastal boulevard. The structure’s core encompasses two elevator shafts and a double spiral staircase while it also bears the building which seems to seamlessly sit suspended, an ingenious result of the cantilevers that reach out 12m in length. The continuous glass surface that surrounds the facades enhances continuity between the interior and exterior. It is one of the most important architectural solutions that as a result of which the structure’s perimeter does not form a link between the horizontal concrete floor-slab and the shell that forms the roof. Guests who access the gym through the central staircase gain a feeling of being on a cloud. At the back of the building, which overlooks the city, the men’s and ladies’ changing rooms are symmetrically organized to each other. To the left and right of the changing rooms lie the rooms for aerobics. The purpose of this arrangement is to implement the layout in accordance to the level of the desired privacy of each space as per the parameters of the construction programme. The interior design, such as the floor surface finishing of reflective resin, as well as the semi-transparent Barrisol Stretch ceiling, aim at drawing attention to the spaces and the elegant lines that form triangular shapes of various dimensions. A sequence of geometrical transformations and subdivisions form the base of the ceiling’s design.
Design by:
Photos by:
Ana Kostic ©
https://images.ek-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wellness-4b.jpg
https://images.ek-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wellness-5b.jpg
https://images.ek-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wellness-1b.jpg
https://images.ek-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wellness-2b.jpg
https://images.ek-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wellness-3b.jpg
https://images.ek-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/wellness-6b.jpg