Meaningful architecture: minimal planet impact, lasting human benefit
The UNstudio team is focused on solving social challenges such as urbanization or climate change, so their mission is to create value by designing for the implications of these mega trends on our built environment.
UNstudio‘s mission is to realize projects that make our lives healthier, have a minimal impact on the planet but a lasting one on our cities and people. One of their initiatives, Echo, the new interfaculty building for TU Delft, is designed to meet the leading Dutch university’s need of a flexible extra teaching space in light of the ever- increasing student numbers, now and in the future.
The building designed to generate energy, offers a wide variety of rooms to cater for the different teaching methods and study styles. As a model of sustainability within the TU Delft campus, Echo contributes significantly to the university’s ambitions to operate a fully sustainable campus by the year 2030.
UNStudio, in collaboration with Arup and BBN, created for Echo a sustainable building in which adaptability and the wellbeing of the user are central with a design that fully supports different educational typologies and teaching methods, becoming a future-proof and active campus. In this way Echo offers both connection and definition of the surrounding public space.
The studio’s founder, Ben Van Berkel, affirms that the Echo building with his maximized use of space, leads students of different disciplines in closer contact, so they can condense their learning experience and learn both from each other and from the building itself. Transparency was a key design element of Echo, ensuring ample natural light and creating visual connection to the campus and surrounding environment.
This open and inviting atmosphere fosters a bright, uplifting, and welcoming experience for faculty and students. Sun protection measures were implemented to prevent overheating, including low-solar- penetration glass and deep horizontal awnings. These strategies effectively manage solar heat gain, maintaining a comfortable indoor environment.
A plenum floor system was installed to ensure circulation of fresh air through all the building. The fresh air is pumped upward from the floor, eliminating the need for overhead circulation systems and allowing for flexible room layouts.
Actually Ben Van Berkel says: ”Unlike traditional campuses that operate in silos, the future campus needs to be programmed with agile spaces that invite students and faculty to learn, collaborate and co-create. As student numbers continue to grow, educational buildings need to be extremely flexible, to operate through a model based on shared interfaculty use that can promote a more generalist education”.
Echo’s energy efficiency is remarkable. With 1200 solar panels, smart installations, robust insulation, and a heat and cold storage system, the building generates more energy than it consumes. This includes user-related energy consumption such as laptop charging, lighting, and catering. Moreover, 90% of the furniture used in the building is reused, further reducing environmental impact. The project demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability, both in the selection of eco- friendly materials and in the application of circular design principles.
Its innovative education building stands out from traditional learning environments. It emphasizes the significance of in-between spaces and encourages physical movement, embracing the contemporary ‘Everything Anywhere’ culture. To accommodate unstructured time and foster reflection, inspiration, and communication, Echo provides a diverse range of platforms. Bamboo ribs adorn the ceiling, seamlessly blending into the design and extending along the central staircase.
This harmonious integration transforms the staircase into a hub connecting study and collaboration areas, fostering a seamless ecosystem of learning and connection. It also plays a key role in defining the campus’s public space. The lecture hall and the debate space, the two sculptural volumes, direct passerby flows across the covered square. Their diagonal orientation creates two expansive transparent corners. One houses a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the D:Dreamhall and the other one includes a spacious study landscape. Echo provides an adaptable learning environment equipped with seven teaching rooms. Most of them feature flexible layouts to adapt to diverse teaching styles and group sizes.
The expansive lecture hall on the ground floor, with a seating capacity of 700, can effortlessly be transformed into three separate rooms, catering to different learning scenarios. Similarly, the mixed didactic space on the first level uses a movable wall system, allowing it to be seamlessly divided into two classrooms of 144 seats each, ensuring flexibility and adaptability.
Beyond dedicated lecture halls, Echo offers a multitude of over 300 study spaces dispersed through all the building, catering to both collaborative learning and individual study sessions. The design of the teaching rooms has been meticulously crafted to align with the current and future needs of both lecturers and students, ensuring a supportive and stimulating learning environment. In addition, a dedicated case-study room has been incorporated, particularly suitable for interactive and engaging teaching methodologies.
Complementing the lecture halls and study spaces are four project-based teaching rooms, each accommodating approximately 70 individuals. These rooms further enhance the building’s versatility and ability to cater to different learning needs.
