Amalgamation of Science and Architecture
Research Laboratory, Groningen, Netherlands
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One of the strongest principles of contemporary architecture concerns the integral treatment of the volume. The relationship between the building’s usage and its appearance should be transparent and logical. There should be no prioritization of front, back and side elevations as such; instead pure functionality should dictate where openings or details that emphasize certain user-related aspects are placed. UNStudio, a Netherlands based architect firm realized a Research Laboratory project in Groningen keeping these essential elements in mind.
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The research Laboratory in Groningen will be visited by very few people; on the inside it is a stark, technical environment, with only limited office space. The relationship between outside and inside is almost non-existent. Yet, the building is on a prominent location, passed-by daily by swarms of students and staff of the medical campus of Groningen University. And, at the same time, it needs to be more than a just skin wrapped around an unimaginative box, because the requirements, albeit technological in nature and never to be set eyes on by more than the handful of people authorized to work in this Laboratory, are real and complex.
Meticulous Use of Colours
The usage of colours in the project has added an aesthetic element to the structure. Elaborating on this Mr. Ben van Berkel, Co-founder & Principal, UNStudio says, “For this Laboratory building, we had to create a structure where no light would enter the building from the sides, but instead all daylight had to enter via the roof. For this reason, we articulated the facade differently, as we wanted to introduce openings of another kind. So, we designed vertical slats which, at specific areas on the facade, open up to reveal coloured areas, referencing the opening up of a flower or plant. These openings move or orient themselves towards natural features in the surroundings, such as a nearby tree and a park which is located to one side of the building. So, although it is a closed facade, the building still opens itself up through texture and creates a green reference towards the landscape context of the project.”
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UNStudio designed a deceptively simple envelope constructed from flat, vertical aluminum slats, which, in places, are twisted outwards in bowed forms. Thus, tall, vertical undulations are generated, which present an open or a closed aspect depending on the angle under which they are viewed. This optical effect enlivens the restrained facades, which is made even stronger by the application of bright colours to the flat surfaces that are created by twisting the aluminum slats sideways. On the lower level, the colour yellow is used, which gradually changes to green towards the top of the building. The particular shade of green that was chosen reflects the public garden on the corner of the Oostersingel and the Antonius Deusinglaan opposite the building. Consequently, the Laboratory, while minimizing or even prohibiting both the incursion of daylight and views into the building, still responds to its surroundings, offers some visual stimulus and, through the optical effects, presents a semblance of transparency.
Challenges at the Design Level
According to Mr. van Berkel, the main challenge was to experiment with the research that they had done over the years with transformative geometries, such as moving from a grid structure to a more articulated textured structure, and this can be found in many of their projects. But in the Research Laboratory, this notion of transformation is presented differently than in any of their other works, which makes it a quite unique project for us.
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He says, “The most important challenge is always to build these transformative geometries which experiments with geometrical qualities and it requires a lot of discipline. For instance, there are only six panels which are repeated throughout the facade, even though to look at it, you would imagine that about 40 different panels were used.”
Interior Voids
| In the interior, two internal vertical voids allow daylight to enter the interior whilst ensuring that visibility from outside is avoided. These glass voids therefore, function as a form of internal facade. By employing the voids, lift shafts and facade structure as constructive elements which ensure stability it becomes possible to create a mostly column-free space within these existing vertical supports. The two voids have the geometry of asymmetrical truncated cones which mirror each other vertically; so that where one has its wider end at skylight level, the other has its wider end at ground level. Shared walkways surround these internal voids, creating a clear organisation whereby dark corridor systems can be avoided. The individual laboratories are situated around the cones and are accessible directly from the shared walkways. This organisation turned out to be more efficient than the common Laboratory organization with corridor systems, |
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because of the reduction in the amount of circulation space.
Explaining in detail about the interiors Mr. van Berkel says, “The interior of the building is organised around office and Laboratory spaces, with a different type of Laboratory located on each floor. This is also why we designed the asymmetrical cones which mirror each other vertically. These atria not only allow daylight from above, but also, aid in way finding and orientation. Colour was also used for this purpose; so that one could identify the floor they work on, as each level has a different colour, varying in tone depending on the levels of daylight at different depths.”
Further he adds, “The conical void is not easy to work with as all the elements within it (the curve of the staircase, the handrail, the glass) continuously change geometry and size. So, on the one hand you have to make it architecturally interesting, but on the other, ensure that it is cost-effective to produce. This was a technical challenge, as was the facade. But we reverse our engineer ideas at times to make these solutions possible. We continually look at what we can do with the technically advanced disciplined principles in designing. And due to this reason, we continue to make small projects like furniture, or pavilions. These smaller projects give you the opportunity to play and experiment with the relationships between material effects and technical advances and what we learn from this we then apply to larger projects also.”
The activities within the Research Laboratory require the separation of four microbiological levels. At the lowest level are the supporting areas including the reception area, the administrative spaces on the second floor and the dispatch area are on the ground floor. The Laboratory areas are divided into three microbiological levels, each with its own accessibility grade and hygiene screening level. The main entrance to the research Laboratory is on the second floor, where it is linked to the central walkways of the WMF building by a footbridge. On ground level, there is an entrance where small transport vehicles can deliver and collect goods without causing interruption. The materials used in the design are chosen to comply with the requirements of a Laboratory setting. Therefore, a homogenous polyurethane floor and wall treatment is employed. The colours used in the Laboratory spaces are chosen with regard to the requirements of the technical programs, whilst the use of colour in the central supporting areas is lively and bright. Walls and floors share the same colours. On the ground floor, where daylight is at its lowest, yellow is used. Per floor this colour then deepens through to orange and finally to red on the uppermost level.
Project Details
Client: Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Location: Groningen, The NetherlandsAddress: Antonius Deusinglaan 1 9713 AV GroningenBuilding surface: 7.497 m²
Building volume: 2.3792 m³
Building site: 1.093 m²
Programme: Research Laboratory as part of the medical faculty of the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.
Status: Competition 1st PrizeDesign: 2003Realisation: 2008