Project Size
126,000 square feet
Est. Construction Cost
(nil)
Client
Municipality of Kolašin
Kolašin is a beautiful town in Montenegro with a population of 6,700 in 2024 according to the Montenegro Statistical Office. Nestled in the heart of Montenegro's most spectacular mountain range, Kolašin's majestic forests and crystalline rivers create a golden opportunity for sustainable investment and development. We understand that the local government is determined to improve the municipality’s infrastructure network to support tourism. Establishing a parking lot for 200 – 300 cars in such a small and peaceful town would draw the attention of the entire vicinity.
Any outstanding architectural work must not only be functional, practical, environmentally- friendly, aesthetically pleasing, but also play a significant role in its local context. Being Kolašin's first landmark parking complex serving both locals and visitors, what is its role in the municipality beyond a parking garage? How can it become a memorable facility?
Our scheme decided to create an unforgettable experience for the visitors and the locals – a true “Urban Oasis” in the center of Kolašin. Detailed introduction of the scheme will be explained in the section below. In summary, our design solution comprises of the four main strategies below.
1) A response to the natural topography. The architectural form responds to the natural beauty of Kolašin and the topography of the project's location. Situated on a sloped terrain with a nine-meter drop in level, the scheme visually minimizes the building volume by placing the lowest two levels of parking at the basement. This also maximizes parking capacity. The three storeys above ground are decorated with a green wall. When viewed from the east, the green wall expresses itself as an extension of the surrounding vegetation. And the greenery terminates at the rooftop garden on the highest level of the building. As as result, the parking complex can be interpreted architecturally as an urban oasis in the heart of Kolašin.
2) Variety of functions at the rooftop garden and plaza. The building's rooftop garden and plaza at Level 3 support a variety of public functions. The rooftop garden is a beautiful and peaceful environment. People can come to this delightful green roof anytime of the day, enjoying a meal while listening to the chirping of birds. Located at the highest level, the garden offers breathtaking view to the urban and natural scenery from above. The plaza serves as another outdoor venue for the town to host a variety of performances and exhibitions the entire year. It is an oasis for street performers and emerging artists, away from the narrow streets and busy traffic in the town center. The public can also participate in any event safely. The outdoor roof parking lot on the same level can restrict vehicular access and convert into a large exhibition and performance venue when necessary. It will be a suitable venue for farmers’ markets and small business exposition where convenient access to parking for vendors and visitors is key to success.
3) "Park and Ride" travel strategy. “Park and Ride” becomes a popular low carbon approach to sustainable tourist mobility. It is a travel strategy that allows travelers or commuters heading to city centers to leave their vehicles in a parking facility, then transfer to a public transportation system, carpool, or bicycle for the remainder of the journey. The private vehicle is left in the parking facility and retrieved when the owner returns. This strategy is well suited to tourist destinations found in historical towns and cities with traditional narrow streets. Traffic volumes should be reduced in order to protect the historic charm of the destination. The lay-by and bicycle parking provide strong basis for “park and ride”. The lay-by can operate as a bus stop or carpool lane. Some of the bicycle parking stalls in our scheme can turn into rentable bicycle paring system to support the “park and ride” incentive.
