SOFT MIX

FACTSHEET

PLACE: Zabjelo 8, Podgorica, Montenegro
AREA: 8.200 m2 (above ground)
YEAR: 2026
CLIENT: The Mayor of the Capital City of Podgorica
TYPE: Mixed use health- and community centre
STATUS: International competition, proposal
TEAM: Audun Hellemo/Kristin Hilde

RATING
SCALE (small>large)
STATUS (idea>built)
COMMERCIAL ($>$$$)

The new community centre in Zabjelo will be an important part of the new public infrastructure in a rapidly developing area, and is therefore required to play two roles simultanously: both to showcase its importance as civic architecture, but also to strengthen the slowly consolidating urban fabric: define its surrounding roads, bring life to the streetscape with entrances and active facades and to reduce the impact of traffic and parking. Thus the new centre blends in the context in terms of height of the neighbouring buildings, follow the same building line to the roads and place new entrances both along Ilija Plamenca and Ksenije Cicvarić.

The volume of the new building is closely related to the programmatic requirements, but at the same time a response to the challenge of finding an adequate volumetric strategy for a cohesive architectural language that brings together a wide variety of functions to the community. The triangular shape of the site is creating a relationship to the angular buildings along Ksenije Cicvarić, but by softening the edges of the volumes, a simple, yet distinct building envelope is created – bringing the different functions together in a unified whole that does not give associations to traditional health institutions.

PROGRAMMATIC DISTRIBUTION
The building is organised according to the competition brief with the three lower floors designated for the health centre, level four for offices and the top floor for community functions with higher ceiling height requirements and access to terraces and a common lobby for the community with views over the city. 

PLAN ORGANISATION
A common atrium runs through the building as the vibrant heart, making a visual connection and relationship between the different functions. The atrium connects each floor with vertical communication providing separate entrances and waiting areas for each department. 

Plan 1
Plan 1
Plan 2
Plan 2
Plan 3
Plan 3
Plan 4
Plan 4
Plan 5
Plan 5

The layout of the building is compact with each part of the program independently organized with separate entrances from the common atrium, making each floor self sustained in terms of energy use, ventilation etc. In this way, parts of the building can be in use while other parts are closed without afftecting the overall energy use.

Interior view from atrium space on level 3

The suggested material palette focuses on robustness, quality, low maintenance and low carbon footprint. The ground floor made of glazed tiles, providing a steady base for the building while the upper floors have a facade with currogated aluminium cladding – a versatile material that can be locally adjusted to the programmatic needs within a unified architectural language.

The different programs have very different requirements for privacy in a dense urban context, while high quality daylight provision is necessary. A partly perforated cladding makes it possible to provide both, which also doubles as solar shading. For the more public programs, solar shading is integrated in the cladding system for maximum comfort.

Small gestures, such as softened corners, cuved facade panels and a distinct colour scheme are means to create a clear urban presence and a memorable architecture within a realtively modest budget. Extra effort should be put in the places where most people experience it; on the ground floor, in the common atrium and on the common spaces on the fifth floor.

The multipurpose hall on the top level provides flexibility for larger public events, connected to the ground floor with a separate entrance lobby.