Nichtoffener Wettbewerb | 05/2012
Nybyggeri, ombygning og renovering af forskningsfaciliteter til Faculty of Health Sciences, Institut for Biomedicin, Aarhus Universitet / Expansion and renovation of the Department of Biomedicine's research and teaching facilities
Teilnahme
Architektur
Bauingenieurwesen
Søren Jensen l Rådgivende ingeniørfirma
Bauingenieurwesen
Beurteilung durch das Preisgericht
Architecture and function
The research units are distributed with two in buildings 1233 and 1234, seven in the
Bartholin Complex and seven units in the newbuild – grouped in twos across three floors,
while the fourth includes just one research unit and core functions. All buildings, both the
existing and the new one, are laid out according to a side-by-side principle, where offices
and laboratories are located in parallel on either side of a passage area. This creates good synergy between laboratory and office work, which is stressed further in this proposal by means of the extensive use of glass walls. A recurrent motif across the buildings is a number of compartment-like pieces of room furniture, which are placed in the flow zones to offer users spaces for brief or spontaneous work or conversation. The Victor Albeck Building is designated as a new gathering point.
As the Department's buildings cannot achieve physical contact, it is proposed that they are joined by means of a so-called Health street, which links a number of front areas like the one that is known from the Lakeside Lecture Theatres. The largest front area is distended between the newbuild and the neighbouring 1110, and close to this, a smaller open space is established in the corner that points inwards between 1233 and 1234. In addition, there will be an open space in front of the Bartholin Complex. This practically exists already, but it will be extended across the access road. The landscape design is well adapted and makes the most of the place despite the many limitations.
The newbuild consists of three parallel wings, offset systematically in a northern direction.
The wings are proportioned in exactly the same way as the neighbouring buildings, which
also consist of parallel wings, which means that the new building fits harmoniously and
almost invisibly into the row of buildings towards Høegh-Guldbergs Gade. At closer
inspection, you will notice that what looks like three buildings from the outside, should
rather be seen as two buildings. Across the wings, an internal space cuts through the
buildings, dividing them into two sections on either side of this atrium. The space serves
as arrival hall and links the different floors, but it also contains a number of functions on
transverse floors and will serve as the natural gathering point for researchers.
Due to the offset of the wings, the research units, which are located on either side of the
large through-going atrium, are shaped like a P. Along the facades, there are offices on
one side and laboratories on the other. A number of support rooms and secondary
facilities have been inserted between the sections where these are widest. This system is
repeated upwards in pairs, and the symmetry is not broken until the fourth floor, where a
section with core facilities is introduced.
The newbuild's overall structure is fine and logical, although it appears slightly surprising
that the internal atrium is located across the dominant north/south direction, just as it
seems a bit strange that the exterior trisection internally contains a rotation symmetrical
plan split in two. However, the weakness of the layout is primarily the far too large atrium,
which is almost worthy of a city hall. Although researchers are social beings who often
leave their offices to seek the company of colleagues, it is the Jury's impression that the
overproportioned room will often be or seem empty. At the same time, it is closed and out
of contact with functions that could animate the room. There are only four doors leading
into it, and the walls around it are completely closed, which will limit the sense of synergy
and life significantly. The room that should unite the unit actually ends up cutting all the
floors into pieces. This is not good for cohesion, and it is inflexible in relation to being able
to accommodate research teams of varying sizes.
It is quite evident that priority has been given to the interior – particularly the large
atrium. This strategy does make sense, as the University Park is a sensitive area that is
vulnerable to architectural excesses out of consideration for the overall appearance. Thus,
a number of existing motifs have practically been ‘sampled’ as for instance the end wall
balconies, but unfortunately the result is an unnecessary sort of architectural camouflage.
Buildings 1233 and 1234 are laid out in two parts with offices on one level and
laboratories on the other. The walls open unto the passage, and glass sections as well as
room furniture are introduced. The interior design is fine and stringent, but the synergy
between offices and laboratories is lost due to the distribution of functions on each their
floor.
As mentioned, seven research units are located in the Bartholin Complex, and the floors
are opened in the same way as described above. Here, offices and laboratories are located neatly side by side, like pearls on a string. This layout is flexible and good, but a bit of contact between the floors, as suggested by other competitors, is missing.
Technical aspects
The buildings are 13 metres wide with a structural system based on load-bearing facade
elements, and a supporting line in the middle with element columns with corbels for the
establishment of steel beams is fitted into the floor slab with an approx. 20 mm bottom
flange. 270 mm hollow slab elements are used. Cross and longitudinal stability is ensured
by the end wall and facade elements. The concept outlined offers good flexibility for
routing of installations and future alterations. The proposal is a robust structural system
and at the same time rational in its execution as a result of many identical elements.
The layout of the building is adapted to known/expected geotechnical conditions. Thus, it
has assessed that basements can essentially be founded directly. The underground car
park is constructed as an ‘independent’ structure, separated from the rest of the building
in terms of dilatation. Walls are made as solid concrete element walls. The floor is made
with 0.8 m tall TT-beams with a span of approx 17 m.
The extent of structural interventions and static considerations in connection with
renovation work on existing buildings is only described in general terms.
Technical rooms are located in a technical basement (lower basement) and in roof space
on floors 4/5, respectively (however, in some sections, double-height rooms are shown).
As a whole, the technical rooms are assessed to be well laid out and of a reasonable size.
Access from outside to the lower basement, including in connection with replacement of
large components, does not appear to be adequately provided for. Certain challenges are
also to be expected in connection with the replacement of large components in roof
spaces.
Cylinder depot, gas depot and nitrogen tank are located above ground by the goods
delivery yard approx. 15 m from the building. The proposal mentions that space has been
allocated for a diesel generator by the goods delivery yard. However, this is not shown in
the drawing material.
Ventilation is based on mechanical ventilation distributed across three dedicated system
types for animal facilities process ventilation, laboratory process ventilation, and office
comfort ventilation.
As regards other technical systems, a general description refers to the competition
material.
From the technical rooms, installations are routed in five vertical shafts, which are well
positioned, and it seems that a reasonable area has been allocated for this purpose.
Ventilation ducts are routed above suspended ceilings in the relevant room categories.
Other technical installations are routed above suspended ceilings in passage areas.
Installations are routed in modules and concluded with switching points, control points
and connection pieces in each module. The Jury assesses that reasonable flexibility can be implemented without problems. Principles for ventilation systems in the existing buildings are described, whereas other technical systems are only mentioned in general terms.
A sustainability concept based on the Danish version of DGNB is well described.
The project is said to comply with LE2020 without active elements, which is documented
in an appendix folder (however, several parameters are found to be too optimistic).
Serious attention is given to a minimisation of process energy as well as to user influence
and energy optimisation.
It is considered uncertain whether the permanent work stations in the part of the
basement that faces light wells will receive a sufficient inflow of light. Acoustic and
atmospheric indoor climate is not mentioned.
Conclusion
On the whole, the proposal is communicated in a professional and clear manner, and the
Jury has given it great attention. The proposal includes many good ideas and measures,
both as a whole and in the detail. However, the Jury finds that especially the newbuild is
characterised by a scale mismatch that is particularly evident in the very large atrium.
The research units are distributed with two in buildings 1233 and 1234, seven in the
Bartholin Complex and seven units in the newbuild – grouped in twos across three floors,
while the fourth includes just one research unit and core functions. All buildings, both the
existing and the new one, are laid out according to a side-by-side principle, where offices
and laboratories are located in parallel on either side of a passage area. This creates good synergy between laboratory and office work, which is stressed further in this proposal by means of the extensive use of glass walls. A recurrent motif across the buildings is a number of compartment-like pieces of room furniture, which are placed in the flow zones to offer users spaces for brief or spontaneous work or conversation. The Victor Albeck Building is designated as a new gathering point.
As the Department's buildings cannot achieve physical contact, it is proposed that they are joined by means of a so-called Health street, which links a number of front areas like the one that is known from the Lakeside Lecture Theatres. The largest front area is distended between the newbuild and the neighbouring 1110, and close to this, a smaller open space is established in the corner that points inwards between 1233 and 1234. In addition, there will be an open space in front of the Bartholin Complex. This practically exists already, but it will be extended across the access road. The landscape design is well adapted and makes the most of the place despite the many limitations.
The newbuild consists of three parallel wings, offset systematically in a northern direction.
The wings are proportioned in exactly the same way as the neighbouring buildings, which
also consist of parallel wings, which means that the new building fits harmoniously and
almost invisibly into the row of buildings towards Høegh-Guldbergs Gade. At closer
inspection, you will notice that what looks like three buildings from the outside, should
rather be seen as two buildings. Across the wings, an internal space cuts through the
buildings, dividing them into two sections on either side of this atrium. The space serves
as arrival hall and links the different floors, but it also contains a number of functions on
transverse floors and will serve as the natural gathering point for researchers.
Due to the offset of the wings, the research units, which are located on either side of the
large through-going atrium, are shaped like a P. Along the facades, there are offices on
one side and laboratories on the other. A number of support rooms and secondary
facilities have been inserted between the sections where these are widest. This system is
repeated upwards in pairs, and the symmetry is not broken until the fourth floor, where a
section with core facilities is introduced.
The newbuild's overall structure is fine and logical, although it appears slightly surprising
that the internal atrium is located across the dominant north/south direction, just as it
seems a bit strange that the exterior trisection internally contains a rotation symmetrical
plan split in two. However, the weakness of the layout is primarily the far too large atrium,
which is almost worthy of a city hall. Although researchers are social beings who often
leave their offices to seek the company of colleagues, it is the Jury's impression that the
overproportioned room will often be or seem empty. At the same time, it is closed and out
of contact with functions that could animate the room. There are only four doors leading
into it, and the walls around it are completely closed, which will limit the sense of synergy
and life significantly. The room that should unite the unit actually ends up cutting all the
floors into pieces. This is not good for cohesion, and it is inflexible in relation to being able
to accommodate research teams of varying sizes.
It is quite evident that priority has been given to the interior – particularly the large
atrium. This strategy does make sense, as the University Park is a sensitive area that is
vulnerable to architectural excesses out of consideration for the overall appearance. Thus,
a number of existing motifs have practically been ‘sampled’ as for instance the end wall
balconies, but unfortunately the result is an unnecessary sort of architectural camouflage.
Buildings 1233 and 1234 are laid out in two parts with offices on one level and
laboratories on the other. The walls open unto the passage, and glass sections as well as
room furniture are introduced. The interior design is fine and stringent, but the synergy
between offices and laboratories is lost due to the distribution of functions on each their
floor.
As mentioned, seven research units are located in the Bartholin Complex, and the floors
are opened in the same way as described above. Here, offices and laboratories are located neatly side by side, like pearls on a string. This layout is flexible and good, but a bit of contact between the floors, as suggested by other competitors, is missing.
Technical aspects
The buildings are 13 metres wide with a structural system based on load-bearing facade
elements, and a supporting line in the middle with element columns with corbels for the
establishment of steel beams is fitted into the floor slab with an approx. 20 mm bottom
flange. 270 mm hollow slab elements are used. Cross and longitudinal stability is ensured
by the end wall and facade elements. The concept outlined offers good flexibility for
routing of installations and future alterations. The proposal is a robust structural system
and at the same time rational in its execution as a result of many identical elements.
The layout of the building is adapted to known/expected geotechnical conditions. Thus, it
has assessed that basements can essentially be founded directly. The underground car
park is constructed as an ‘independent’ structure, separated from the rest of the building
in terms of dilatation. Walls are made as solid concrete element walls. The floor is made
with 0.8 m tall TT-beams with a span of approx 17 m.
The extent of structural interventions and static considerations in connection with
renovation work on existing buildings is only described in general terms.
Technical rooms are located in a technical basement (lower basement) and in roof space
on floors 4/5, respectively (however, in some sections, double-height rooms are shown).
As a whole, the technical rooms are assessed to be well laid out and of a reasonable size.
Access from outside to the lower basement, including in connection with replacement of
large components, does not appear to be adequately provided for. Certain challenges are
also to be expected in connection with the replacement of large components in roof
spaces.
Cylinder depot, gas depot and nitrogen tank are located above ground by the goods
delivery yard approx. 15 m from the building. The proposal mentions that space has been
allocated for a diesel generator by the goods delivery yard. However, this is not shown in
the drawing material.
Ventilation is based on mechanical ventilation distributed across three dedicated system
types for animal facilities process ventilation, laboratory process ventilation, and office
comfort ventilation.
As regards other technical systems, a general description refers to the competition
material.
From the technical rooms, installations are routed in five vertical shafts, which are well
positioned, and it seems that a reasonable area has been allocated for this purpose.
Ventilation ducts are routed above suspended ceilings in the relevant room categories.
Other technical installations are routed above suspended ceilings in passage areas.
Installations are routed in modules and concluded with switching points, control points
and connection pieces in each module. The Jury assesses that reasonable flexibility can be implemented without problems. Principles for ventilation systems in the existing buildings are described, whereas other technical systems are only mentioned in general terms.
A sustainability concept based on the Danish version of DGNB is well described.
The project is said to comply with LE2020 without active elements, which is documented
in an appendix folder (however, several parameters are found to be too optimistic).
Serious attention is given to a minimisation of process energy as well as to user influence
and energy optimisation.
It is considered uncertain whether the permanent work stations in the part of the
basement that faces light wells will receive a sufficient inflow of light. Acoustic and
atmospheric indoor climate is not mentioned.
Conclusion
On the whole, the proposal is communicated in a professional and clear manner, and the
Jury has given it great attention. The proposal includes many good ideas and measures,
both as a whole and in the detail. However, the Jury finds that especially the newbuild is
characterised by a scale mismatch that is particularly evident in the very large atrium.