One last piece is added to the mosaic of the complex transformation process underway for several decades in New Belgrade, a neighbourhood on the left bank of the Sava River with more than 300,000 inhabitants. This district was part of an ambitious urban expansion plan in Tito’s Yugoslavia and is now a place of massive real estate development as well as a symbol of the city's post-socialist metamorphosis, amidst brutalist memories and contemporary architectural gestures.
Among the latter, the project for the new Alta Tower stands out, developed by Zaha Hadid Architects-ZHA with Bureau Cube Partners-BCP, winners of the international competition for the design of the multifunctional building within Block 32 of New Belgrade.
The 35-storey tower, adjacent to the Merkator shopping centre, a short walk from the Ušće Park riverside at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, will house the headquarters of Alta Bank, as well as residential units, rental offices and services. At street level, a new pedestrianised public square bordered by cafés, restaurants and shops welcomes visitors, acting as a new public space for socialising in the neighbourhood.
The new volume is defined by fluid forms, articulated by a clear structural framework that imposes a tight rhythm of vertical lines and string courses, following organic-inspired inflections, compressions, and expansions.
The residential units are located on the upper floors of the tower, to maximise the panoramic view of the Danube valley and the historic centre of Belgrade; the offices for rent are housed in the podium and the bank offices on the lower and upper floors of the tower, both characterized by a highly efficient and flexible layout.
On the facades, a series of vertical slats in line with the twists of the facade reduces the amount of direct solar heat, creating a delicate gradation between opacity and transparency and accentuating the dynamic character of the building.
