Rolex Learning Center / SANAA
18
Feb 2010
By David Basulto — Filed under: Cultural ,Educational ,Institutional Architecture ,Videos , Concrete, SANAA, Switzerland
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The Rolex Learning Center at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland will open its doors on Feb 22th.
The building, designed by the acclaimed Japanese firm SANAA, features one of the most impressive concrete 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.
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- © Rolex Learning Center
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- © Rolex Learning Center
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- © Rolex Learning Center
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- © Rolex Learning Center
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- © Rolex Learning Center
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- © Rolex Learning Center
Wow, I love SANAA, but I am really dissapointed with this building. What a bunch of wasted space, it is not useful at all because of the slopes in the floor… yes, it can be a place for reunion but the layout of the building doesn’t seem to express it as a center point.
I really don’t like this building, very uncharacteristic of SANNA.. I guess Johnson was right when he said that Architecture is the art of wasting space.
dustin, go back to austin
How smart of you.
What about that white floor? It’s not gonna be white for long.. no?
Washing is a wonderful concept. There are many buildings with white floors. Maybe washing techniques are not known in your area?
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.
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.
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…
It’s not white. It’s dark grey, like the carpet they used for years in pretty much every other auditorium at this university. ;)
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!
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.
Great spaces!
Rolex Learning Center. http://bit.ly/diR0ms
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.
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 !
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.
But there’s no stairs now. And there’re not always slopes.
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.
“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.
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….
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.
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.
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???
No good, old concept.
Is it just me or SANAA is really running out of idea? http://tinyurl.com/yl6kzdm Seems that they're "churning" out the same yr after yr…
Is it just me or SANAA is really running out of idea? http://tinyurl.com/yl6kzdm Seems that they're "churning" out the same yr after yr…
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
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
Thanks for your useful information. I am not their student.Is it possible to come in for normal visitors?
Thanks again.
Hosea
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.
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
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.
I love this building. Practical is boring
2010 Pritzker Prize: SANAA http://bit.ly/9GKl8W
2010 Pritzker Prize: SANAA http://bit.ly/9GKl8W
does anyone know where this video is from?
This is why SANAA deserved to win this year's Pritzker Architecture Prize. http://tinyurl.com/yda4ycs – Robert
RT @GQRecommends: This is why SANAA deserved to win this year's Pritzker Architecture Prize. http://tinyurl.com/yda4ycs – Robert
RT @GQRecommends: This is why SANAA deserved to win this year's Pritzker Architecture Prize. http://tinyurl.com/yda4ycs – Robert
RT @GQRecommends: This is why SANAA deserved to win this year's Pritzker Architecture Prize. http://tinyurl.com/yda4ycs – Robert
RT @GQRecommends: This is why SANAA deserved to win this year's Pritzker Architecture Prize. http://tinyurl.com/yda4ycs – Robert
RT @GQRecommends: This is why SANAA deserved to win this year's Pritzker Architecture Prize. http://tinyurl.com/yda4ycs – Robert
how this was built? doble curvatura en moldajes?
SANAA achi bureau wins Pritzker Prize. Thanks to EPFL Rolex-Learning-Center : http://www.archdaily.com/50235/rolex-learning-center-sanaa/
@MissKeriBaby Come & see this: http://www.archdaily.com/50235/rolex-learning-center-sanaa/
ＳＡＮＮＡのスイス工科大学ローザンヌ校は、人のビヘイビアがダイレクトに建築とシンクロしている。http://www.archdaily.com/50235/rolex-learning-center-sanaa/
#architecture
i was there
it was great!!!!
on the pictures it looks desolat and cold but in real with furniture and people its hot!
a great experience and it work very well
cant ddescribe it in words
who hast the chance should visit it – 24 hours open
Now this is fun and nifty!! We need more buildings like this. It doesn’t take itself too seriously.
The shape resembles a cheese slice !! ;-)
The interior space is amazing too!
just few words, architecture does not waste space, organize it, this is what real architects do, and this building is a real exemple of that
4:40 PM Apr 21st
Rolex Learning Center / SANAA | ArchDaily http://t.co/XbIQHYq via @archdaily