LabQ

clients(s)

university of amsterdam

location

Amsterdam

users(s)

researchers, students and companies

The Amsterdam Science Park is taking further shape with a large education and laboratory building. It will soon stand on a small square embellished by the overgrown screens on the plinth facade giving it a friendly appearance. Although LabQ is all about complicated matter - quantum physics and quantum technology - it is still an open building. LabQ will be home to research centre QuSoft of the University of Amsterdam (Faculty of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science) and the Centre for Mathematics & Computer Science. Besides (laboratory) research and education, knowledge sharing is an important function.

wood where possible, concrete where necessary

At LabQ, the 'home for quantum science in Amsterdam', education, research and business come together. The ground floor is as open as possible with the ability to walk through it and enter and exit at several places. Thus, creating a connection on campus which automatically becomes a meeting place of the scientific and business quantum family and anyone interested in quantum technology.

In total, the building counts seven floors. The offices, small educational and facility areas, entrance zone and lifts are housed in a light, wooden construction. This wooden element is placed around a solid, concrete core with (low-vibration) laboratories and teaching rooms. cepezed opts for wood where possible and for concrete where necessary. The wood and concrete are visible everywhere to ensure that it is immediately clear where you are. Moreover, it provides a nice contrast in the interior.

grandstand garden

LabQ's rooftop garden is located on the 4th floor. As the garden slopes down to the floor below it becomes a multi-functional outdoor space. Down here is a grandstand staircase with a windless patio garden at the bottom, which will feel comfortable throughout spring and autumn as well. The lines of the steps are derived from the flowing shapes of quantum devices. The park on the 4th floor is inspired by the campus design of the Science Park, although here the 'flower beds' are mainly at the edges. In doing so, the planting (trees, shrubs and grasses) is visible from the ground below and provides shelter to the roof terrace.

isometrische daktuin labq cepezed — Cepezed

isometrische looproute labq cepezed.jpg — Cepezed

special spaces

LabQ will be a special building with a few extra special spaces. These include the double-height spaces in the building's main route which create resting points with the space and ambience to catch up. Their height and location on the façade make them highly visible from outside. They show the main route and demonstrate that LabQ is a lively building. Another special space is the atrium in the 'business section' of LabQ. This space is intended for daily activities: there are 'landing spots', meeting areas, you can have coffee and lunch. A cascade of open mezzanine floors and stairs leads to the 3 upper office floors and the roof garden on the 4th floor. The generous height benefits air circulation, daylight and orientation.

whole life carbon

LabQ is a sustainable building thanks to its careful floor plans, aimed at maximum daylighting and the sophisticated trade-off between concrete and wood. The building is being developed according to the 'all-electric' norm, a building and design norm aimed at reducing CO2 emissions. The chosen 'whole life carbon' approach aims to keep CO2 emissions low over the building's lifetime, being achieved by using thermal storage and renewable energy sources.

Another key sustainability objective is to create flexibility of use to respond to changing functions in the future. LabQ has a structural grid made up of multiples of 1.8 metres. Together with cleverly placed and easily accessible technical installations, it can therefore cope with change. This makes LabQ a Paris-proof building, despite the complex requirements for the laboratories and a total floor area of no less than about 13,000 square metres.