Project description
Among the 2-3-storey institutions the new main building forms an urban dominant. It outlines the campus of uniform height and material. The wood of pines that opens towards the Southwest is preserved as a green oasis in the middle of the surrounding buildings. The extension is situated on the eastern side of the existing building. Earlier there was a residential wing that has been taken down to get as compact mass as possible.
The working spaces are located around a series of inner yards that is roofed with glass. The inner yard with its restaurants and exhibition areas forms a meeting place for researchers and students. It’s also easy to orientate inside the building since the main staircase is located centrally. Vertical connections between the different parts of the building make it possible to share one individual floor with several users. Exhibition and hall spaces unite the extension with the existing building and its lobby. The essential target of the long-lasting building was to make the laboratory itself and together with the offices convertible.
Main materials used in facades are glass in various forms, light-coloured raw concrete and copper. Those materials are both timeless and beautifully ageing. The surface of the eastern façade is made of silk-pressed patterned glass and it doesn’t only serve as a shelter from the sun but also as a large piece of art that varies with inside and outside lighting conditions.
