NEW AARCH - New Aarhus School of Architecture

CONCEPT
Architecture Village + Lab connects two worlds: The diversity and human scale of the urban village with flexible, dynamic and productive lab spaces. Creating a totally embedded urban environment where school and urban life can meet and interact. Village + Lab offers an unseen integration of functions and spatial experiences. Spaces of focus and concentration are contrasted by efficient, transparent and social spaces of production, exhibition and teaching. Village + Lab takes the best elements from the village structure as an outset to create a modern campus experience that enhances knowledge sharing, production and creativity.

VILLAGE
Both the history of the school and the site relates to the concept of the small town or the village. The existing school structure with many locations in the city center allows for the student to be connected to a certain location, with a strong identity. As a student, you’re a part of city life in a human scale. Godsbanearealerne has a self-grown, raw character and is a playground for artistic experiments, also with a small scale feeling. We propose to translate these qualities of identity, scale and urban connectivity into a contemporary and functional architectural concept. Village + Lab proposes an urban village inspired typology that allows for smaller characteristic buildings with unique identities – yet united and functional.

LABORATORY
The site and the functional needs of modern architectural research and education require room for testing and production. With our proposal the raw character of the Godsbanearealerne is absorbed into a creative laboratory for architectural experiments. Flexible spaces and spaces for multiple use are created that can handle the changing situations and demands over time in a robust and scalable character. We invite the world into a creative laboratory for architectural experiments. Selected existing buildings are integrated into the new inner lab spaces, allowing us to keep the existing identity and quality of the buildings. The labs are thus both productive spaces of learning, exhibition and work as well as social spaces of interaction, bridging urban life and production – benefitting both.

VILLAGE + LABORATORY
Combining the two worlds of village and lab creates a new school of architecture as integrated, productive and welcoming part of the city.
The most immersive, concentrated and private spaces in the “village” structure are integrated with the “laboratory” structure for display, space and openness.
Village + Lab allows for a totally inclusive urban experience with a diversity of spatial experiences – from the intimacy and human scale of the village to the functional and dynamic character of modern research and production.

ARCHITECTURE
The architecture is inspired by the dualism of the “village” typology and the “laboratory” typology.
The “village” architecture is broken down in a human scale, with shifting heights and tilted roofs. Each function is given its own “house” and it appears friendly and welcoming. However, the buildings are not fully open and transparent, allowing levels of privacy for the users. The “laboratory” architecture is fully flexible. The floor to ceiling height is big and the spaces offers multiple use. The architecture is open and inviting. The existing buildings that are kept are integrated in the “laboratory” typology. They become spaces inside spaces and reflect a transition from the self-grown creative life on the “Godsbanearealerne” today to a new school and a new place in the city.

ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS
The organization comes from a reading of the functions that divides them into two overall groups: One “village” group and one “laboratory” group.
The “village” group is for the functions that require most immersion, concentration and privacy. The architecture reflects this demand and is optimized to handle these functions.
The “laboratory” group is for the functions that requires most display, space and openness. Here, the traditional boundaries to the urban context are opened up. The world is invited inside.

STRUCTURES, MATERIALITY, LIGHT, COLOR AND MOOD
The architecture is inviting! The materials are united by a grid, which is “filled out” quite differently regarding the “village” and the “laboratory” part.
The “village” is primarily made from brick in different bands. This connects to the materiality of the site and it is possible to make some parts fully open, some semi-open, some closed - and transitions and alternations between these.
Inside the “village” the scale is humane. The mood is cozy. The scene is set for concentration and emersion.
The “laboratory” is primarily made from light cast concrete elements and very open glass panels. The scale of space is bigger in this part but the grid remains the same to connect the two worlds. This ensures maximum flexibility.
Inside the “laboratory” the creative experiments are on display. The light comes in from all sides. The feel is industrial and rough. The “beating over time” even adds stories and layers to the architecture.

BUDGET REQUIREMENTS
The structure is based on a rational building grid which allows for prefabricated elements and systems. This also allows for many repetitions in order to control the building budget.
The carrying systems for the “village” and the “laboratory” are similar and simple. This also meet the demands for later alternations to the buildings.
The refined detailing is thereby not made on site but produced elsewhere. This also brings down the labor cost and overall m2 price.

SUSTAINABILITY
A natural ventilation strategy is part of the building concept, with an effective use of the “laboratory” zones. This reduces the need for mechanic ventilation in the warm months.
Areas close to the outer facade uses single sided naturel ventilation through automatic openings in the facade, while those deeper inside use a chimney effect from dedicated chimneys.
In areas with big activity a large amount of air is needed. Here cool air is added through the floor. Heating from persons and light sources will heat the air which is removed on a higher level.
From the underground (in the central landscape) thermic clean air will be lead to the building through a labyrinth underneath the building where the air is naturally heated in winter and cooled in the summer periods - because of stabile underground temperatures. In the colder months the facade will close and the building is ventilated mechanically with up to 80% reuse of the thermic heat.
The use of “exposed” concrete and bricks inside the buildings creates a house with high thermic mass. This give the possibility of cooling during the night and in the summer the heat from the sun is absorbed during the day and released during the night. This helps to level out the inner temperatures and reduces the need for mechanic cooling. The effect also helps to heat up the building in winter time, where there is no need for ventilation during the night and the absorption of the heat from the sun will quietly heat the building.
Instead of energy renovating the existing preserved houses they are kept inside the “laboratory” structure thus this new outer facade becomes the new insulated facade. Some unheated working as a “winter garden” and some also handles climate issues as described above.