Belgrades Milan Vapa Paper Mill to be transformed into museum celebrating the Serbian-American inventors legacyAtrium entranceSource: NorviskaGalleriesSource: NorviskaNorth facadeSource: Zaha Hadid ArchitectsTesla Coil RoomSource: Xuniverse1/4show captionZaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), in collaboration with Bureau Cube Partners of Serbia, has been selected as the winner of an anonymous design competition for the new Nikola Tesla Museum in Belgrade.The project seeks to transform the historic Milan Vapa Paper Mill into a cultural destination, celebrating Teslas contributions to science and technology while preserving the buildings architectural heritage.The museums design takes inspiration from Teslas research into magnetic fields and wireless energy transfer, and incorporates elliptical curves radiating from the factorys chimney, a key feature of the site.A new circular opening in the western faade will serve as the main public entrance, leading to a triple-height central atrium dominated by the chimney.The museums interior will feature openings carved into the walls, creating interconnected voids that extend visitors views from the entrance through the atrium to the Tesla memorial at the eastern end of the site.Source: NorviskaAerial viewThe 13,400-square-metre museum will include permanent galleries showcasing Teslas historical artefacts, interactive displays, and immersive presentations, alongside temporary exhibition spaces for temporary exhibitions.Additional facilities include a caf, a multipurpose hall, and a rooftop restaurant with views of the Sava River.The museums surroundings will feature Nikola Tesla Square, a new public space designed with gardens and plazas inspired by electromagnetic fields. The square seeks to enhance accessibility and integrate the museum with the Belgrade Waterfront and the citys transport network.The paper mill, constructed in 1924 as the nations first modern factory, was decommissioned several decades ago and had been used as a storage facility before being abandoned. The Belgrade Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments has protected the building for its cultural importance, and its adaptive reuse is funded by Belgrade Waterfront.