A vivid illustration of how constraints and specific requirements determine the shape of a building.

The Ramada Hotel in Belgrade was designed for a land parcel that had limits imposed on it as to the area and quantity of aboveground floors. The solution was to place all the administrative and support services under the ground, as well as the fitness club. To illuminate these areas open-air sunken courtyards were created.

This method allowed achieving the best use of aboveground premises, without compromising on quantity of guest rooms, while reducing the area of the first – administrative – floor. The upper floors seem to be ‘floating’ in the air.

Author: Dimitri Kats