Administration building SAV at Patrónka

Project idea

The diploma thesis deals with the design of an administrative building
intended for the Presidium of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, located within
the SAS campus near Patrónka in Bratislava. The proposal was developed on a
hypothetical basis under the conditions of an on-going public competition
announced by the SAS Centre of Joint Activities in cooperation with 2021
s.r.o.
The new building will be situated in the most central position of the
campus and is intended to become a key element in defining the relationship
between the urban area of Patrónka and the scientific park complex. The design
must align with the vision of the winning urban planning proposal by Gro
Architekti and Studio Egret/West. The newly designed building should
incorporate representative architectural look and an ecological approach.

When developing the design concept, I was aware that both the placement and the massing of the building would have a significant impact on how the entrance space to the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS) campus functions for its users and how it relates to the rest of the campus. It was essential to respect the winning urban design proposal and establish continuity with its vision.

During my previous studies in Prague, I was taught that every architectural design should emerge from its immediate surroundings. Finding the right design solution is often challenging if one does not ask the right questions or fully understand the context in which the project is situated. Although the site allocated for the proposal appeared relatively generous, a thorough analysis of the available documentation and spatial relationships revealed that the design possibilities were, in fact, considerably constrained.

Placing the building at the centre of the site proved to be inappropriate due to the main pedestrian axis connecting the entrance area with the SAS Institute of Chemistry and the campus as a whole. From a practical perspective, there is a natural tendency to position the building adjacent to the ÚSTARCH buildings on the eastern side of the site, thereby creating a direct spatial relationship between them. However, the ÚSTARCH office building already forms a prominent landmark at the entrance to the campus, and locating the proposed building too close to it could diminish its architectural presence.

How, then, can the importance of the new building be expressed?

Project description

If one accepts that context does not impose limitations but instead provides guidance for design, it becomes possible to approach the task in an unconventional way—by turning the concept on its side.

Rather than attempting to avoid the constraints of the context, the design embraces and reinforces them. The Presidency building adopts the defining characteristics of its surroundings while expressing its own architectural narrative.

The basic proportions of the building were derived from the adjacent ÚSTARCH building and subsequently elevated. By rotating the archetype of the skyscraper into a horizontal position and raising it above the ground on structural supports, the design achieves urban, functional, and architectural advantages.

The elevated volume defines the public space in front of it, consolidating it into a small urban square. At the same time, the building avoids creating rigid spatial boundaries and instead reinforces the site's primary entrance axis. It encourages pedestrians to pass beneath it, naturally leading them into the heart of the campus.

The reduced number of storeys also allows for stronger visual and functional connections between the interior spaces. Positioning the building in close proximity to the existing administrative building is advantageous not only from a functional perspective but also in terms of fire safety. Together, the buildings establish a clear sequence of interconnected institutions: ÚSTARCH – ÚSTARCH Administration – Presidency.

Architecturally, the building forms a harmonious counterpart to the existing development, expressing the idea that a landmark deserves another landmark as its companion.

The administrative building is designed to serve as the headquarters of the Presidency of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, providing permanent office accommodation for this institution. In addition to office spaces, the building will include a reception area, a cafeteria with a kitchen, atria, meeting and conference facilities, as well as outdoor terraces and balconies extending along the entire perimeter of the building.

Technical information

The primary structural elements of the building are vertical reinforced concrete cores, which support the building above ground level while also providing vertical circulation between floors. The concrete cores are complemented by two reinforced concrete columns with a circular cross-section of Ø700 mm.

At the level of the second above-ground floor (elevation +13.200 m), steel frame structures are designed to serve as both the vertical and horizontal load-bearing system. The storey height of 3,300 mm is derived from the adjacent ÚSTARCH administrative building. The steel frames are anchored to the reinforced concrete cores; alternatively, they may be suspended from the concrete cores. In the eastern part of the building, the steel frames are supported by reinforced concrete columns.

The building is designed on an 11-axis structural grid. Along the transverse grid lines, the steel frames are stiffened with bracing members. The proposed vertical frame members consist of custom-fabricated welded box sections measuring 300 × 300 mm. The transverse bracing members are designed as 100 × 300 mm sections. At the locations where the frames are supported by columns, the vertical box sections are increased to 600 × 600 mm due to the absence of a reinforced concrete transfer beam above the columns.

On the third and fourth above-ground floors, the vertical load-bearing system consists of HE300B steel columns, the selection of which is based on structural analysis. At locations where the structure is supported by reinforced concrete columns, are made of HE600B steel sections.

Documentation

Show PDF 1