Through the concept of ‘rakija’ and the drinking of it, this project aims to revive the traditional and historical practices culturally upheld in Belgrade. Rakija (brandy) making lies at the heart of Eastern European culture but also recalls the historic mediation between intoxication and spirituality.

The proposed distillery and experiential spaces are concerned with the emulation of the effects of intoxication. How can we celebrate the art and communal nature of excessive drinking? What do our intoxicated selves reveal about us and how can this be further exposed? Can staging these processes help to further uncover these identities? The building utilises pseudo-spiritual concepts to reimagine spaces for leisure. As such, leisure is the project’s focus, seen through the lens of alcohol consumption. It celebrates rakijia as the heart of Serbian culture, embracing the re-discovery of ourselves through the experiential.

The concepts of fluidity and joining are central to the design and form a staging of experience throughout the architecture, allowing for a range of experiences and calling for introspection.