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Share on emailCourtesy of IVANISIN. KABASHI. ARHITEKTIIVANISIN.
KABASHI. ARHITEKTIwon the open international competition for their
design intervention at the River Piva inMratinje,Montenegroin 2009.
The design strategy was to illuminate the natural and engineered
elements of the site, located at the Piva-Mratinje Hydro-Power
Plant, built in 1975 at the narrowest point of the river. As a
whole, the intervention is located on the sunny end of the damn in
front of the concrete reinforcement of the cliff.Conceived in five
phases, the architecture is designed in such a way that it can
become occupiable at any stage of completion. The project consists
of five elements: Tower-Down, Plateau, Tower-Up, Bridge, and
Floating Platform. These magnifiers of natural and technological
elements seek to address the humility of architecture in this
sublime junction of the natural and man-made.Read on for more on
this project after the break.Courtesy of IVANISIN. KABASHI.
ARHITEKTIThe intervention allows tourists and citizens alike to
view the wonders of the dam, the river and the cliffs from various
levels. Each of the five phases allows astounding views from
different vantage points that magnify the intensity of the sights.
The first of the five phases is the Tower-Down, which is a
construction that protrudes twenty meters from the cliff and hovers
just ten meters above the dam. A heavy concrete core cantilevers
light terraces, revealing sights of both sides of the dam.Courtesy
of IVANISIN. KABASHI. ARHITEKTIThe second phase is the Plateau, an
observation deck atop the dam that houses a visitor center with its
two sides fully glazed underneath. The views here open up to
distant sights of the canyon and the proximate technological
spectacle of the dam and man-made waterfall.Courtesy of IVANISIN.
KABASHI. ARHITEKTITower-Up is located behind the dam, overlooking
the accumulation lake. It makes contact with the mountain at the
highest possible accumulation level and rises up thirty meters to
reach the top of the existing concrete reinforcement of the upright
cliff. This phase houses a mountain dormitory and a double-height
cantilevered assembly space with views oriented to the
lake.Courtesy of IVANISIN. KABASHI. ARHITEKTIThe two towers are
connected by the fourth phase, the Bridge, which is suspended on
two steel trusses, fully opened to the dam and the lake. A vertical
view opens up to the bare cliff, strewn with pine trees hanging
from it. From this point, the natural and technological aspects of
the site can be observed, as well as the content of the proposal:
The Nature and Technology History Museum, which will exhibit
artefacts related to the dams construction, and collections of
wild-life and plant-life of the surrounding area. The museum will
have glazed sides enfolded in a metal lattice to promote views and
to protect against rockslide or avalanche.Courtesy of IVANISIN.
KABASHI. ARHITEKTIThe final element that will provide the ultimate
experience of the profound experience of the site is the floating
platform, which will rise and fall with the lake as it accumulates
and is released by the dam. The platform will slide along a
two-hundred meter inclined truss as the accumulation level descends
and at its lowest levels will provide access to the opposite shore.
Its program also entails a dock for small excursion boats and an
interior that is a perfectly sealed restaurant always half-sunken
in the lake. With eyes exactly on the calm water, visitors will be
able to experience unbroken views from within the restaurant.
Aleksandra Dabanovic and IVANIIN. KABASHI. ARHITEKTIIVANISIN.
KABASHI. ARHITEKTIrecycle the phenomena of the site with their
strategy of opening up various views out onto the natural and
man-made landscape. All five phases will be constructed out of
materials of the local building industry, using the local labor
force and basic materials suitable to the harsh climate to animate
the domestic economy.Architects:IVANIIN. KABASHI. ARHITEKTI:
Krunoslav Ivaniin, Lulzim Kabashi, Iva IvasCollaborators:Kristina
Krajai, Konstantina Kralj, Tena Lazarevi, Ana
RanogajecLocation:Mratinje, MontenegroClient:Republic of
Montenegro, Ministry of Spatial Planning and
EnvironmentCollection:IVANISIN. KABASHI. ARHITEKTIPhoto:Aleksandra
Dabanovi / IVANISIN. KABASHI. ARHITEKTI
Vinnitskaya, Irina. "Magnifiers of Natural and Technological
Elements Competition Winner / IVANIIN. KABASHI. ARHITEKTI" 16 Dec
2010.ArchDaily. Accessed 19 Apr 2015.
The proposal Poetic/ Pathetic byIvanisin. Kabashi. Arhitektifrom
Zagreb, Croatia has won the open internationalcompetitionfor the
development of the Mratinje Dam Complex in Montenegro that was
launched by the Montenegrin Ministry for Spatial Planning and
Environmental Protection. The competition aims to initiate
development and economical growth of the Northern Montenegrin
regions by promoting the beautiful landscape and establishing
landmarks for tourism.
Click above image to enlargeSiteThe existing Mratinje power
plant was constructed in 1975. Its concrete arch dam is the fifth
biggest of its kind in the world. At the time of construction, this
was the biggest and technically most demanding construction site in
former Yugoslavia. Before the Piva River canyon was flooded, a
sixteenth century monastery of great cultural significance had to
be moved to a higher position. A little city was built on the shore
of the accumulated lake to provide housing for employees of the
power plant. Today, the municipality of Pluzine counts some 5,000
inhabitants.
Click above image to enlargeSite close-upAlthough not natural by
their origin, the accumulation lake and the concrete dam itself
offer a spectacular sight which is still rather missing on most
tourist itineraries. Further development of the Mratinje area
should generate tourist interest for this part of the country. The
Mratinje dam and lake are to be established as its central
attraction.
Click above image to enlargeSituation planIn evaluating the
competition entries, the jury wanted to encourage the visions that
promote symbiosis of the natural and the man-made, environmental
protection and technological achievements at the same time, as
Branislav Gregovic, Deputy Minister and member of the competition
jury has put it in the national newspapers. The winning project
Poetic / Pathetic proposes construction in five subsequent
phases.Heres a detailed project description we received from
Ivanisin. Kabashi. Arhitekti:1. HEROIC LANDSCAPEPoetic and
pathetic; this is how an Italian botanist has described the
Montenegrin nature some hundred years ago. Mratinje area, where the
washed- out gigantic dam has become an integral part of the
landscape is the best proof for such a reading, even thou it is
hardly natural for at least for the last thirty-five years.
Click above image to enlargeCollageIt is certain that the
scenery of the Piva river gorge was astonishing also before the dam
was erected in the most logical place, where the canyon narrows at
most. Big infrastructural interventions usually benefit from the
strategic positions they logically occupy. Still, natural and
technological elements rarely blend so natural as they do here.
With construction of the dam, the narrow gorge and steep cliffs
have become only narrower and steeper. Their natural properties
have been magnified. Occasionally, when it rains a lot and
accumulation level is high, they are additionally adored with
aerosol of the impressive waterfall. On the other side of the dam,
an impressive liquid platform of the varying level was created,
that measures the natural elements, again magnifying their inhuman
proportions.
Click above image to enlargeSectionsWith weathering, the dam has
become an integral part of nature; an entirely new and totally
artificial natural rarity of Montenegro, perfectly nested in its
scarce karst embossment. Properties of this heroic landscape where
natural and technological elements were united in creation of an
extraordinary melancholic beauty are departure point for this
project.The arch of the dam spans between the two steep cliffs of
the riverbed. Its two sides feature radically different conditions.
On the South- eastern side the vegetation is lush although it is
rarely in the sun. North-western side is sunny but the vegetation
is rather scarce here, perhaps due to the harsh winds. The gorge in
front of the dam is humid and dark, the accumulation lake behind is
brightly reflecting the surrounding huge limestone mountains. Its
level alters at maximum difference of about eighty metres.
Click above image to enlargeView from the floating platform2.
MAGNIFIERS OF NATURAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL ELEMENTSProposed
intervention is concentrated on the sunny end of the dam, in front
of the concrete reinforcement of the cliff. Conceived in five
phases it can work well at any stage of completion. The subsequent
phases introduce five houses- devices; magnifiers of natural and
technological elements of this heroic landscape:
Click above image to enlargeModel lake side high
accumulationPHASE I: PLATEAUPlateau is an observation deck in the
level of the top of the dam, cantilevered on two steel trusses that
are anchored in the bare rock. Underneath is the visitor centre
with its two sides fully glazed, opening the views to the natural
spectacle of the canyon on one side and to the technological
spectacle of the dam on the other.
Click above image to enlargeModel lake side low
accumulationPHASE II: TOWER- DOWNTower- Down protrudes from the
cliff about twenty metres down in front of the dam. With its upper
part it is attached to the plateau, rising above it for about ten
metres. With a system of light terraces cantilevered from the heavy
concrete core, it reveals sights of the both sides of the dam.
Click above image to enlargeModel gorge sidePHASE III: TOWER-
UPTower- Up is placed on the other side, overlooking the
accumulation lake. It touches the mountain in highest accumulation
level and rises up for about thirty metres until reaching the top
of the existing concrete reinforcement of the upright cliff. This
tower consists of the heavy concrete core and light cantilevers
too. It houses a mountain dormitory oriented to the lake views and
a two storey assembly space cantilevered to the opposite side.
Click above image to enlargeModel photo
Click above image to enlargeModel photoPHASE IV: BRIDGEBridge is
suspended on the two steel trusses that stretch between the two
towers. This double height space is fully open to the dam, the lake
and the mountains in the back. To the rear side, a dramatic, almost
vertical view opens up to the bare cliff with pine trees literally
hanging from it and the massive concrete reinforcement planted at
its bottom. From this space, the natural and technological
phenomena may be fully observed from the distance, forming the
perfect background for its proposed content. The Nature and
Technology History Museum would exhibit artefacts related to the
construction of the dam and collections from the wild life of the
surrounding area together, emphasizing thus the natural and
technological character of the site. Its glazed sides are enfolded
in metal lattice, to regulate the insulation and for protection of
the possible rockslide or avalanche.
Click above image to enlargeModel photo
Click above image to enlargeModel photoPHASE V: FLOATING
PLATFORMFloating platform offers ultimate experience of the natural
and the technological elements, making the most of the artificial
nature of the accumulation lake. At the highest accumulation level,
the natural buoyancy keeps the round shaped platform attached to
the north- western shore of the lake. As the accumulation level
descends, the platform slides down the two hundred metres long
inclined truss that works as the access ramp too. At the lowest
accumulation level, the platform would eventually endorse the
opposite shore. Its upper surface is a dock for small boats.
Inside, it contains a perfectly sealed restaurant, always half
sunken in the lake. With unbroken view outside it would offer a
rare experience of enjoying the meal with eyes exactly in the
height of the calm water mirror that changes its level according to
natural cycles and technological intervention.
Click above image to enlargeFloating platform interior
Click above image to enlargeFloating platform interior3. A
PROPOSITION TO REFLECT UPONPresented with this project is a
sequence of event- spaces that create their own contexts tightly
bound to the phenomena found of the site. With its gradual
realisation, the potentials of the site would be not only revealed
but also magnified. Basic materials are concrete and steel,
suitable to the harsh climate and adaptable to the local labour
force. The floating platform, the trusses for the plateau and the
bridge and finally the sliding truss of the platform could be
completed in the shipyards on the Adriatic coast animating again
the domestic economy. However small in scope, the construction
process would eventually sophisticate the local building
industry.
Click above image to enlargeFloor plansThis proposition was
conceived as a catalyst of the tourist industry too. With
completion of the separate phases, the tourist capacity of the
whole Montenegrin North would parallel grow. The proposed
intervention would serve as a departure point for various
excursions, from one- day visits to the dam to longer stays related
to joys of hiking in the surrounding mountains, rafting in the
river, rowing in the lake, gastronomic tours in the nearby
villages, hunting and bird- watching in the forests and of a very
new sport: spotting of natural and technological
beauties.Magnifiers of natural and technological elements would
magnify the local economy too.
Click above image to enlargeFloor plansImages: Ivanisin.
Kabashi. Arhitekti