The reconstruction project of the industrial Novkabel building, carried out by our team, continues to accumulate successes and awards. After winning the Grand Prix awards last year at the Architecture Salon in Belgrade and Novi Sad, this project has now been nominated for the prestigious European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award, marking an outstanding achievement and further confirming its importance and quality.
The Association of Architects of Serbia (UAS), as the representative cultural association in the field of architecture, selected InGrid – Schneider Electric Hub as one of the Serbian candidates competing among projects realized during the 2023–2025 period. After the “Mia Dorcol” project, this is the second Zabriskie project nominated for Europe’s most important architecture award.
Why is this project important for developers and investors?
The reconstruction and adaptation of the existing industrial hall “Užara” in Novi Sad represents the first modern office building in Serbia created by the transformation of an old industrial building— emphasizing sustainability, zero CO₂ emissions, and maximum energy efficiency. This approach minimizes land and infrastructure costs while delivering high spatial value through the integration of green areas and adaptable work environments.
The Zabriskie design team paid special attention to preserving and highlighting the architectural values of the hall, treating it as a monument with a clearly expressed character and historical context, which contributes to strengthening the identity and prestige of the space. The “small city” concept within the complex, featuring a central pedestrian promenade and interior atriums, creates a quality working environment that supports innovation, employee wellbeing, and the long-term attractiveness of the space for tenants.
Excerpt from the professional jury of the Association of Architects of Serbia:
“The reconstruction of existing buildings represents a challenging and complex architectural task, especially when functional repurposing of the existing space is involved. A positive and successful architectural example of this new spirit is the reconstruction and adaptation of the industrial hall ‘Užara’ within the former production complex of the company ‘Novkabel’ in Novi Sad.
One of the key themes for the Zabriskie architectural team is the question of continuity of building values, often disrupted in our society by various socio-cultural and political-economic transitions. Moreover, this is the first modern office building in Serbia that was not constructed on a greenfield site, but through the reconstruction of an existing industrial hall (brownfield), meeting zero CO₂ emissions and maximum energy efficiency standards.
The existing business complex of the former ‘Novkabel’ is functionally well designed — it possesses practical connections, gradation, and hierarchy of functional units, from which clearly emerges the most dominant: a monumental, park-designed pedestrian promenade that transforms the once incomprehensible industrial complex into a space of profound empathy and humanity. These elements (the central promenade and park) and the conceptual approach of ‘designing a small city’ within the complex formed the basis of the architectural solution for the hall’s reconstruction.
Although the production halls of the ‘Novkabel’ complex were devastated and neglected over time due to improper use, the authors’ decision was to recognize and further highlight the architectural values of the first hall undergoing reconstruction (the memory of place – Genius Loci, volume, materialization, specific modular construction), treating the entire hall as a monument to restore awareness of these fundamental spatial-semantic values.
The central part of the hall remains open in full height and free from predefined functions, conceptually and functionally designed as an interior square. The entire hall space is further enriched with four new interior atriums designed as green, open gardens where employees can spend their free time or work. The main advantage of this type of workspace lies in the integration of exceptional high-quality greenery within the work environment, contributing to transparency, as well as lighting, acoustic, microclimatic, and ambient comfort of the building.
The positive effects of such a design are also reflected in easy orientation within the interior, full visibility, and clear navigation across 17,000 m² of open-plan space, achieving a logical change of ambiance and clear hierarchy of space usage intensity.
In the spirit of the newly reconstructed industrial hall, all contemporary values and trends have been integrated, serving as an example of the most modern and humane approaches to business organization, aligned with the business policy of the new space user – the global IT company Schneider Electric.”
About the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award
The EU Mies van der Rohe Award is one of the most prestigious architectural awards in Europe, granted biennially by the European Commission in cooperation with the Mies van der Rohe Foundation. The award aims to recognize and support excellence, innovation, and sustainability in architecture, as well as the development of new ideas, technologies, and social values. It is given for projects completed within Europe and seeks to promote architecture as a key factor in shaping quality and sustainable environments.
For investors and developers, InGrid – Schneider Electric Hub exemplifies how smart adaptation and dedication to sustainability can create office space that delivers long-term value, reduces operational costs, and enhances the positive image of owners and tenants alike.
Full article on the Association of Architects of Serbia website:
More about the InGrid project and participants:
https://zabriskie.rs/projects/novkabel-schneider-electric-hub-razvojni-centar/