Cultural station "Power X Light"

Belgrade’s industrial heritage along the right side of the Danube river faces neglect, severing the city’s historical and spatial ties to the riverfront. This project confronts the challenge of revitalizing such sites, focusing on the "Power and Light" thermal power plant and the surrounding marina area. By introducing cultural, artistic, and public functions, it repurposes the site while respecting its industrial character. The design combines preservation and transformation with new interventions, demonstrating how abandoned spaces can be reintegrated into the urban fabric.

Rooted in the potential of Belgrade’s abandoned industrial sites, the Cultural Station "Power X Light" project reimagines the "Power and Light" thermal power plant and its surroundings as a vibrant cultural and artistic center. By transforming the building into a museum of industrial heritage, the project shows how architecture can breathe new life into forgotten spaces, fostering dialogue and nurturing contemporary artistic expressions. Within the historic power plant building, the design introduces galleries and escalators to enhance spatial functionality while preserving the building’s industrial character. Adjacent to the plant, a newly designed cultural center extends the site’s purpose, integrating exhibition spaces, workshops, and performance venues. While contrasting with the original structure, the new center respects the power plant's scale and proportions, highlighting the dialogue between past and present. A central elevated passage links the power plant to the cultural center, extending outward as a terrace that activates the riverfront, serving as the site’s spine. Across from the new building, a public plateau creates an open gathering space, visually engaging with the cultural center’s façade. The surrounding marina area is revitalized through green spaces, pedestrian pathways, and stepped terraces, enhancing public accessibility and encouraging interaction with the river. As a model for adaptive reuse, Cultural Station "Power X Light" sets a precedent for the revitalization of Belgrade’s industrial zone along the Danube’s right bank. By balancing preservation with transformation, the project reestablishes the city’s connection to the river, demonstrating the enduring potential of industrial heritage in contemporary urban life.