Rolex Learning Center / SANAA

The Rolex Learning Center at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in will open its doors on Feb 22th.

The building, designed by the acclaimed Japanese firm SANAA, features one of the most impressive surfaces I have ever seen, creating a fluid space for students to enjoy. Interesting comments by Ryue Nishizawa on the relation between organic forms in architecture and human life. While the building is a perfect rectangle when seen in a plan view, the curves and slopes which define the interior space give the building a totally organic look.

More photos after the break.

* Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
Cite: Basulto , David. "Rolex Learning Center / SANAA" 18 Feb 2010. ArchDaily. Accessed 23 May 2013. <http://www.archdaily.com/50235>

50 comments

  1. Thumb up Thumb down -3

    Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see.

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    • Thumb up Thumb down 0

      Washing is a wonderful concept. There are many buildings with white floors. Maybe washing techniques are not known in your area?

      Reply
  3. Thumb up Thumb down +1

    Ok good, I thought I was the only one who thought this building was completely impractical. Other comment pages seem to feel very differently. Looks like a very interesting space to explore, but thats it, and only once. So much unusable space, except for old people walking laps on Sundays.

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  4. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    It’s not a white floor, it’s carpet. I’ve visited the building multiple times during it’s construction, and it’s really interesting how the slopes are used to create different sections.

    I’m really curious of how it’s going to be used by the students, only time will tell, because it’s the first one of it’s kind.

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    • Thumb up Thumb down 0

      Won’t carpet be even worse? Yeah you can wash it… but they will have to wash it about twice a week and eventually it will just be a brownish grey color…

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      • Thumb up Thumb down 0

        It’s not white. It’s dark grey, like the carpet they used for years in pretty much every other auditorium at this university. ;)

  5. Thumb up Thumb down -2

    This building is so confusing to me…I could see the slopes creating interesting spaces and sections, but it is a nightmare with regard to practicality, especially with an educational program. I assume the educational work occurs on grade and the sloped surfaces serve a more circulatory purpose but regardless: I don’t see any justification for this amount of open space. As always, it may be a matter of representation but furniture, millwork, or any other “conventional” architectural fixture or equipment is essentially rendered useless on a slope. No wonder the renderings are bare…

    Will definitely need a followup as this project progresses!

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  6. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    Carpet? Eh?

    and about the slope they’ve tested it in many ways with some mock-up
    so it’s clear enough to use flexibly.

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  9. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    l think the spacesoffer interesting Challenges,they.may seem un-usable now,but the human mind is not predictable. It Makes forgreat hide and seek spots.lm Just saying.

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  10. Thumb up Thumb down +1

    Isn’t this bad for disabled people ? Carpet is not so nice for wheelchairs, and the constantly sloping floor makes it difficult for them to stop and have a rest…
    Also, the faceted glass and mullions is not so nice, but the overall feeling you should get from inside is unique. I’d love to visit this !

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    • Thumb up Thumb down 0

      Indeed. Slopes and carpet are ideal to reveal handicap. The carpet is so strong than even flat regions are tiring very quickly. Slopes are too steep so there are special ways at 6% and 3 sort of elevators. We cannot profit of the space like others.

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  11. Thumb up Thumb down +1

    I see this as an internal landscape, (which does not mean the carpet should be green!) you would willingly sit upon this floor as you would a gentle hill, alternative viewpoints are generated creating an intriguing and ever changing perspective. As to comment regarding disabled not being able to stop, oh please. The world does not have to be flat or square and neither do its buildings.

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  12. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    “The world does not have to be flat or square and neither do its buildings” Neil.
    Of course floors do not HAVE TO be flat. But as the bathtub doesn’t HAVE TO be on the floor rather than on the wall, it happens to be better like that ;)
    Do not misunderstand me, I like it too, but in terms of usage, I’m a bit skeptical.

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    • Thumb up Thumb down 0

      I can’t remember in which magazine I saw it but there were some images of Ryue sitting on a table on a 1 sqm sloped flooring modell and also another one with the SANAA team testing wheelchairs on the Yokohama FOA terminal.

      I believe they thought about it….

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  13. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    I don’t even like the look of it, it seems so bland. And the curves end so abruptly, there is no smoothness or flow when they enter the orthogonal part of the building. And yes, this building would be terrible for the handicapped. My brother is handicapped, he would never be able to go up and down some of these curves alone (and much less on carpet!), It would be quite difficult even if he had help.
    I’m sorry, but this form is just a bad idea from the architects and they try to justify it with lame arguments.

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  14. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    It reminds me of Niemeyer’s Oca interiors, but… Oscar looked for a pure external form in Ibirapuera. For Sanaa, it is not. On the other hand, Oscar in Barra Funda looked for these kind of curves… Urbanistically bland, weird, a little bit sick… I rather preffer the Kanazawa experience for the city.

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  15. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    Well…I like the interior shots, it’s definitely an interesting space and I hope it will work well for the students…but I don’t like it from outside…it looks so heavy,there is no smoothness…so strange for SANAA…for some reason they can’t achieve that level of transparency and lightness when they build out of Japan I hoped that the Swiss can build it but unfortunately…let’s see what happens with Vitra and Louvre Lenns???

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  19. Thumb up Thumb down +2

    Hi everybody,

    I’m studying at EPFL, in Architecture.
    I went to the Learning Center yesterday, and today again.
    In fact, I was very sceptic about this building.
    And when I discovered it yesterday afternoon, I was very impressed. This building offers incredible new spatial experience for everyone. We have never seen and felt this before.
    However, there is too much wasted spaces.
    They tried to furnished these spaces by putting some cushions…

    I’m a little disappointed too for handicaped people. They haven’t been considered in the project. Some strange ramps were added to correct this mistake but it destructs the “slopes concept”. Some passages are closed to everybody cause handicaped people can’t access. Wasted spaces again.

    But, there are incredible perspective views in this building.
    You really feel the greatness of the Learning Center, but I don’t know if I could work comfortably in the working places, or working bubbles.

    Then, I think it’s a real experience to live once time in our life.

    I just want to see how us, students, will use this building, if this sculptural object could last a long time without show us functional problems…

    Just wait.

    Excuse me for the English, best regards,

    François

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    • Thumb up Thumb down 0

      hey françois,
      thanks a lot for sharing your firsthand experience. hopefully you and others will let us know how the building is (or isn’t?) being occupied once people get a feel for the space. can’t wait!
      phi

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    • Thumb up Thumb down 0

      Thanks for your useful information. I am not their student.Is it possible to come in for normal visitors?
      Thanks again.
      Hosea

      Reply
  20. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    Like Sejima says, it’s like a park. But a building like this can’t afford to have that much unused space.4

    It’s still confusing to me how those tiny columns support the whole concrete ceiling surfaces. Because, i don’t see any hidden structure. I will try to study the images a little deeper.

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    • Thumb up Thumb down +1

      Hello everybody,

      Some news from the Learning Center.
      We have only been there when it was very cold in Switzerland.
      One week ago, Sun reappeares, and something I had thought before was true: it is warm too much inside the building…
      It’s very hard to focus on your study, or exercise cause you are sweating…
      I’m not kidding, there is a really big problem with the quality of the air.

      Then, there is not problem with restaurant and library cohabitation. In my case, I have never been bothered by some noise coming from restaurant, even if it’s the same space…

      Then, for Rui Agnelo (Angelo?), tiny columns don’t support the whole concrete ceiling surfaces. It’s a little structure in wood and steel… nothing else. I have some pictures if someone is interested in.

      Excuse me for my english again, hoping it could bring you some informations.

      Best regards,

      François

      Reply
  21. Thumb up Thumb down 0

    Uhm…FLW Guggenheim NYNY Musuem would no exist if ADA was in the codes at that time period.
    Building must be accessible but not all areas are accessible.
    Accessible yes. Egressible no so much. Skyscrapers are accessible but not egressible during emergency. Not a fan of this building. Holl should have won award.

    Reply

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