A Conversation with Milan Rašković (Bureau Cube Partners) and Manuela Gatto (Zaha Hadid Architects)
One of the most ambitious cultural and architectural projects in Southeast Europe is taking shape in Belgrade, the new Nikola Tesla Museum. Transforming the site of the former Milan Vapa Paper Mill into a futuristic tribute to one of history’s greatest inventors, the project brings together two distinctive forces in global and regional architecture: the internationally acclaimed Zaha Hadid Architects and Serbia’s Bureau Cube Partners. The museum aims to become a landmark of architectural, scientific, and civic significance, celebrating Tesla’s universal values, innovation, imagination, and progress. With public spaces, interactive installations, a rooftop restaurant, and an immersive transformer gallery, the design goes beyond commemoration. It invites new ways of learning, gathering, and engaging with Tesla’s legacy. In this conversation, Manuela Gatto, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, and Milan D. Rašković share their perspectives on the collaboration, the design philosophy behind the museum, and the legacy they hope to build in Tesla’s name.
How did this international collaboration between your two studios come to life? What aligned your teams creatively?
MANUELA GATTO: This was our first collaboration with Bureau Cube Partners, and from the outset of the competition, it became evident that we share a mutual commitment to employing innovative architectural strategies to honour the extraordinary legacy of Nikola Tesla. The partnership has been both highly productive and rewarding, and we believe that this synergy is clearly reflected in the strength and coherence of our final proposal.
MILAN RAŠKOVIĆ: The collaboration with the globally renowned architectural studio Zaha Hadid Architects evolved from previously established and nurtured professional contacts, followed by working meetings, and ultimately professional visits that enabled a deeper understanding of the real potential for creating new values through cooperation with such an eminent international practice. This entire process was grounded in mutual respect, compatibility of approaches, and a shared ambition to respond to complex cultural challenges through the language of contemporary architecture. Trust was established naturally, through a dialogue of professional integrities. Our joint participation in the international competition for the Nikola Tesla Museum was a logical step forward in developing a project that, to be completely honest, transcends the local framework of what architectural practice can typically offer and communicates universal architectural values.
The jury commended your concept for its originality in merging the legacy of Nikola Tesla with the architecture of old Belgrade and the modern face of the capital. Is it both a great honour and a great responsibility, given that Tesla is considered one of the greatest minds of all time?
RAŠKOVIĆ: The task was both a privilege and a responsibility. The site is deeply embedded in Belgrade’s industrial past, and that’s precisely what gave it symbolic weight. The moment we assessed the brief, it was clear that the location had the potential to become a new cultural icon. A museum celebrating Nikola Tesla, a visionary tied to the future, deserved to stand at a location bridging industrial history with forward- thinking urban regeneration. It was both a privilege and a responsibility to transform a space of memory into a space of imagination.
GATTO: Nikola Tesla is not only one of the greatest scientific minds in history but also a universal symbol of innovation, imagination, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. To design a museum with his name comes with the unique challenge of honouring his legacy in a way that is meaningful, relevant, and forward-looking.
Our design aims to bridge the past and the future, much like Tesla’s own work did. It merges the architectural character of historic Belgrade with the city’s evolving modern identity.
The transformation of the former Milan Vapa Paper Mill into the new Nikola Tesla Museum is both a tribute to Tesla’s legacy and a key step in the ongoing revitalisation of this part of the city. As an integral part of Belgrade Waterfront development, the museum is envisioned as a dynamic cultural destination – celebrating Tesla’s life, inventions, and lasting impact on science, while attracting researchers, visitors, and the local community.
At its core, this project is about reimagining space. Through the adaptive reuse of the 1920s Paper Mill, we preserve an important part of Belgrade’s industrial heritage while introducing contemporary architectural interventions that transform the building into a future-ready cultural venue—one that offers unforgettable visitor experiences and bring together history, modernity and Belgrade’s aspiration for the future.
Do you believe that the new Nikola Tesla Museum will become a true “jewel” of our time , a recognizable symbol of innovation, culture, and heritage?
RAŠKOVIĆ: I am confident it will. The project does not erase the existing identity, rather, it reinterprets it through a contemporary architectural language.
The old factory was a functional artifact of its time, while the new museum is envisioned as a cultural artifact of the time to come.
Rooted in Belgrade’s heritage and aimed at global relevance, the project transforms an industrial landmark into a symbol of innovation. It connects Tesla’s universal legacy with the evolving identity of the Serbian capital
Its true value lies in its ability to serve simultaneously as a space of memory, an educational platform, and an architectural icon.
The museum’s design will feature futuristic elements characteristic of Zaha Hadid’s style, with an emphasis on dynamic forms and innovative materials. Always ahead of their time and their peers – would you say that’s what connects Tesla with the leading architects from both your studios?
GATTO: Yes, that connection feels very natural. Tesla’s ability to think beyond his time and continually challenge conventions is something we also strive for in architecture.
At Zaha Hadid Architects, we’re known for pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities. We approach each project with fresh perspectives and tailored strategies, aiming to create spaces that are not only visually striking but also highly functional.
In this sense, there’s a strong affinity between Tesla’s pioneering spirit and our approach to design – both are rooted in bold vision, experimentation, and a commitment to shaping the future. With the New Tesla Museum, we see a unique opportunity to connect the content of the museum with the architecture quality of the space, creating a powerful resonance between the two great pioneers in their respective fields.
How important was it for you to connect Tesla’s legacy with the identity of Belgrade and the contemporary language of architecture?
RAŠKOVIĆ: The task was to translate Tesla’s universal legacy into a spatial narrative of Belgrade. Not through clichés or a general cacophony of everything and nothing, but through contemporary architecture that speaks of the city’s spirit, of memory, and of ambition.
Belgrade is a city in transformation, a place where change is clearly visible and undeniable, whether in its functionality, infrastructure, spatial layout, or form. And Nikola Tesla, who unfortunately walked its streets only once, deserves architecture that speaks not only of the past, but of what we are capable of becoming.
You drew inspiration from Tesla’s vision of magnetic fields combined with the idea of wireless energy transmission. Was the aim to reflect his work throughout the space – from the entrance foyer and grand atrium to the exhibition galleries?
GATTO: Yes, Tesla’s scientific vision—particularly his work on magnetic fields and wireless energy transmission—was a key inspiration for us. Throughout the project, spheres and curves, symbolizing magnetic force and interconnectivity, shape the design on every level—from master planning and placemaking to façade articulation and interior spatial organization.
The museum entrance is defined by a bold circular cut into the western façade, creating a striking first impression and drawing visitors into the Grand Atrium—a dramatic, triple-height space anchored by the historic chimney at its centre. We sculpted the interior with a series of ellipsoid voids, cutting through the existing parallel structural walls to form three-dimensional spherical voids, creating a continuous spatial and visual axis from the Entrance, through the Atrium, to the Tesla Memorial at the eastern end, spanning all floors.
The Tesla Electronic Transformer Gallery is shaped by continuous flows of curves, inspired by the dynamic energy of magnetic fields. The journey culminates in the Tesla Memorial—a surreal, reflective, suspended sphere that houses Tesla’s ashes – offering a contemplative and poetic conclusion to the museum experience.
Is the synergy between ZHA and BCP in line with Tesla’s spirit?
RAŠKOVIĆ: This is a key defining factor, as we approached the project through a partnership unlike any local collaboration seen before. Together, we established a professional bond that resulted not in a compromise, but in true synergy.
Tesla was radically ahead of his time. Architecture bearing his name must carry the same drive, an impulse unmistakably realized through the collaboration of our two studios.
The architectural practices Zaha Hadid Architects and Bureau Cube Partners have, with great care and at the highest possible level, nurtured authenticity and professional consistency by respecting and applying the architectural narrative principles of the late Zaha Hadid, the founder of this globally renowned partnership. They ensured continuity, formal clarity, and technological expression recognized through an original architectural language, enabling the creation of a clearer architectural identity for today’s world.
In addition to the exhibition space, the museum will include a café, a multipurpose hall and a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Sava River, while the surrounding grounds will feature winding pathways and gardens. Were these elements also inspired by Tesla’s legacy?
GATTO: Those elements are integral to our architectural interpretation of Tesla’s legacy. We envisioned the museum as more than just a space to showcase his work, it should also embody the spirit of curiosity, imagination, and connectivity that defined him.
The dynamic circular and curvilinear design language continues into Nikola Tesla Square, where flowing paths, civic amenities, green nodes, and interactive installations animate the public realm, creating a seamless dialogue between the museum’s interior and the urban landscape around it. Visitor amenities such as the café, the multipurpose room, and the rooftop sky restaurant are designed to enhance the overall experience. The restaurant, situated beneath a lightweight glass roof shaped by forms inspired by magnetic fields, offers panoramic views of the Sava River and the Belgrade Waterfront. It’s a place where visitors can engage with the city, the sky, and each other, echoing Tesla’s enduring fascination with nature, energy, and the cosmos.
How much attention did you dedicate to ensuring that Tesla’s scientific vision is reflected throughout all segments of the museum?
RAŠKOVIĆ: Our ambition was for the architecture itself to become a medium of Tesla’s genius. The entrance foyer, the central atrium, and the exhibition spaces, all were designed as spatial manifestations of Tesla’s ideas. His sketches of magnetic fields and the concept of wireless energy were transformed into the building’s morphology, the patterns of light, and the rhythm of movement through the space.
You have completed close to 1,000 projects across 44 countries, including the Museum of XXI Century Arts in Rome and the Glasgow Riverside Museum of Transport. Do you see the Nikola Tesla Museum as one of the projects you will take particular pride in?
GATTO: Every project has its own story, but the Nikola Tesla Museum holds a very special place for us. It’s not only a tribute to one of the greatest minds in history, but also an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the cultural and architectural landscape of Belgrade. This will be the first project and building in Serbia in which Zaha Hadid Architects is involved, which makes the project even more meaningful.
The museum is designed as a cultural engine, where science, architecture, and imagination converge. Its flowing forms and interactive spaces invite visitors to explore the future through Tesla’s visionary lens
The museum brings together historical context, scientific inspiration, and architectural innovation in a way that truly resonates with our values as a studio. We’re proud to honour Tesla’s legacy through a design that looks to the future—just as he did. We hope it becomes a lasting source of inspiration for visitors from around the world.
How challenging was the “Tesla’s Electric Transformer Gallery”?
RAŠKOVIĆ: It was exceptional. Not only because of the technical requirements , 12 million volts demand specific engineering protocols, but also due to the conceptual function of the space. The gallery had to be more than just a spectacle: it needed to evoke emotion, curiosity, and convey the energy of the idea to the visitor. It is the heart of the museum, both functionally and symbolically.
Were additional facilities, such as the restaurant, gardens, and multifunctional hall, inspired by Tesla’s legacy?
RAŠKOVIĆ: Absolutely. Tesla’s philosophy was not exclusively scientific but also humanistic. He believed in the harmony of nature, energy, and humanity. The typologically unconventional roofs, fluid pathways, and spaces designed for dialogue and encounters are all part of a spatial system that is not only representative but also inclusive, reflective, and open.
Did you use the most advanced technologies in designing the museum?
RAŠKOVIĆ: In our work, we utilized advanced BIM platforms, algorithmic tools, as well as digital simulations of light, airflow, and material performance. Additionally, the choice of materials was guided by criteria of sustainability, energy efficiency, and durability. Tesla inspired us to design not only for today’s user but also for the future one.
What does working on this project personally mean to you?
RAŠKOVIĆ: For me personally, this is the pinnacle of a phase in my career, but also the beginning of a completely new one. In architecture, it is rare to have the opportunity to build both a city and a symbol at the same time. Tesla is a personality that pushes you out of your comfort zone. This project has drawn out from me not only knowledge but also visions that until then were unformulated. It is an experience that changes both the architect and the person.
Will this project surpass even the complexity of the SANU Palace reconstruction?
RAŠKOVIĆ: The reconstruction and expansion of the SANU Palace was extremely demanding and truly a special design puzzle, which, besides the joint work with colleagues, doyens of architectural practice, the late academic architect Milan Lojanica and professor Miodrag Mirković, required perfect precision and an almost philological understanding of space and materials. However, the Nikola Tesla Museum is complex on many more levels, technically and symbolically, as well as narratively, in terms of design and urbanism. I wouldn’t say it’s about which is more challenging; rather, each represents, in its own way, an extreme point of architectural responsibility, possibilities, and challenges.