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Following the collapse of Yugoslavia, the Novkabel halls sat largely vacant for nearly three decades. Even though the primary hall is not a listed heritage site, the renovation treated it with the care of a historic landmark. The precast reinforced concrete columns were retained, and the rhythmic geometry of the facade was carefully preserved. Crucially,the transformation into an office complex required no additional land sealing.

Every piece of material generated during the strip-out and partial demolition was repurposed on site. Concrete rubble, for instance, was crushed directly on location and reused as a base layer beneath the new floor slab.

To draw daylight deep into the expansive floor plan, four landscaped atriums were cut into the volume. In addition to roughly 11,000 m² of ground-floor space, about 6,000 m² of mezzanine levels were introduced along the perimeter. The center of the hall rises to full height, functioning as a vibrant community plaza. Heating, cooling, and ventilation run entirely on renewable electricity, partly supplied by 1,500 m² of rooftop photovoltaics. Stormwater is also managed predominantly on site.

As the first completed hall on the grounds, the project spearheads the transformation of the former industrial zone into a vibrant, mixed-use urban district.

Project collection of the Interreg project DECORATOR

Text: ZAB | Sources: Zabriskie, Novaston, Schneider Electric, Serbia Green Building Council, AmCham Serbia