MVA lifts circular-atrium office above landscaped mounds in Croatia

Set in Dubrovčan, a rural village northwest of Zagreb, the Production and Office Building occupies a site undergoing rapid transformation into a small business and industrial area. Once used as a construction waste landfill, the plot has been remediated and reshaped into a new artificial landscape, giving the project its own topography and identity.

Three landscaped mounds follow the natural slope of the site, forming the basis of the building’s composition. Together, they define a central outdoor space and a network of pedestrian paths, while accommodating technical, production and shared functions within the newly formed terrain.

Anchored within this unstable and evolving context, a simple horizontal volume takes the form of a single story square building organized around a circular central atrium. Resting on the three greened mounds, the building appears both neutral and highly specific, drawing the surrounding landscape into its interior and creating a series of unexpected spatial relationships.

The contrast between the geometric building and the organic topography is central to the project. Rather than treating the landscape as a backdrop, the design allows nature to become an active part of the building, extending beneath and around the structure.

Inside, the building is conceived as a dynamic horizontal workplace where offices, meeting areas and shared spaces are arranged around the central atrium. Different types of workspaces are connected through a sequence of open plans and transparent surfaces, encouraging interaction between users while maintaining a strong visual relationship with the outdoors.

Along the perimeter, enclosed offices are positioned alongside corner meeting rooms and recessed niches for group work. Their arrangement opens the central circulation zone toward the surrounding landscape, allowing views and daylight to penetrate deep into the interior.

The circular space surrounding the atrium forms the main communication zone of the building. It brings together the entrance, reception, hot desk workstations, a circular presentation hall and a small auditorium, creating a shared interior landscape for work, gathering and exchange.

From here, the space extends toward a multifunctional common area and an outdoor terrace located at basement level. A spiral staircase continues the vertical sequence, leading upward to a compact rooftop pavilion, terrace and running track.

The atrium is more than a circulation space. It becomes the project’s social and spatial centre, connecting the interior workplace with the landscape and establishing a continuous relationship between the building’s different levels.

The building’s structural system is composed of two prestressed concrete slabs connected by a series of peripheral V shaped columns, four reinforced concrete cores and groups of freely positioned inclined columns. This system creates large structural spans that allow the interior to remain adaptable over time.

Lightweight, non load bearing and demountable partitions define the workspaces, allowing the internal organization to change according to future needs. The structural clarity of the building therefore supports a flexible working environment without compromising its strong architectural character.

The Production and Office Building Dubrovčan establishes its own context while responding to both the surrounding natural landscape and the rapidly developing industrial environment. Its continuous green terrain extends beneath the horizontal volume, making the building appear embedded within a landscape it has simultaneously created.

Project Credit

Project Name: Production and Office Building Dubrovčan
Location: Dubrovčan, Croatia
Area: 1,850 m²
Completion Year: 2024
Design Firm: MVA / Mikelić Vreš Arhitekti / @mva.hr
Photography: Jure Živković