VU Amsterdam research building

clients(s)

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

location

amsterdam

users(s)

Vrije universiteit amsterdam

On the Zuidas, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) manifests itself with a state-of-the-art research building, focusing on bèta-medical research. Constructing the requiered low-vibration laboratories was a major challenge considering the location of the building, close to a major railway and motorway. The building is used by circa 500 employees of VU.

fast-growing Zuidas

The research building stands on a plot on de Boelelaan in the new Zuidas business and housing area. The campus was build in the sixties, the development of the research building is an important step towards a more future proof environment. The building consists of a 12-storey high-rise section (57 metres) and a 6-storey low-rise section (30 metres). The double-height plinth accommodates the public and communal functions, such as meeting rooms and a restaurant.

ingenious foundation

To make the laboratories as low-vibration as possible, the high-rise is structurally separated from the low-rise. Between them is a skylight, where the concrete construction is left visible. The low-rise building with the laboratories rests on 470 grout injection piles of 25 metres in length, with a foundation one metre thick on top. In the basement, this foundation is reinforced with four blocks of solid concrete on thick slabs of rubber. The ground floor is half a metre thick. Holes were carefully cut out for the four blocks so that they do not touch the floor, but visually form a surface.

Vergaderruimte V Uonderzoeksgebouw cepezed

More than research

In addition to the special research areas - labs, biosafety laboratories, electron microscopy rooms and laser facilities - the building have spaces for self-study, a lecture room and work and office spaces. The building also has a restaurant and meeting areas. The skylight between the high-rise and low-rise buildings is part of the main entrance hall, that functions as a meeting and traffic zone. On the Boelelaan, a wide, vertical strip up to the upper floors gives a view of what is happening inside. To the right of this glass lane, over two floors, are double-height 'living rooms', with pantries meant for researchers on two connecting floors.

ingenuity and precision

The strict vertical lines of the facade hide ingenuity and precision. Glass panels are held in place by cover strips with a protruding fin, behind which alternating expanded metal and aluminium is clamped. At the plinth, this strip merges into natural stone. The expanded metal gives relief to the façade and functions as a ventilation grid. The play with the depth of the window also creates subtle relief, sometimes enhanced by its shadow. The aluminium colour is different at any time of day, depending on the amount of sunlight.

Houten pantry V Uonderzoeksgebouw cepezed

future-proof design

Due to the requirement for low-vibration laboratories, it was necessary to use a relatively large amount of concrete. The exposed concrete did, however, create an attractive, tactile, raw wall near the landing staircase in the central hall. The environmental impact of the concrete has been offset by a range of sustainable solutions in other areas. As a result, the design has still been awarded BREEAM Excellent certification: the building is energy-efficient and built to last.