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| Interior View |
The Rolex
Learning Center in Lausanne, Switzerland is a breathtaking piece of
architecture worthy of the title “supermonument”. The building is massive,
containing only a single floor comprised of a library, student workspaces, a
multipurpose hall, a café, food court, and restaurant, as well as a career
center, numerous offices, a bank, and a bookstore. Not only are these spaces
contained within the structure, they’re all connected with no visual barriers between
the separate spaces.
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| Floating Structure |
The floor of the
building curves up and down, creating a series of hills and plateaus inside,
and a series of spaces for use as outdoor patios. This curve makes for an
interesting look due to the placement of the structural columns underneath that
make the building seem like its weightless. The roof of the structure also
follows this curve and has minimal visible supports that make it seem like its
floating. Because the roof and the floor are made as two separate units, they
had to be designed to be able to adjust to the changing environmental
conditions.
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| Aerial View Showing the Exterior Patios |
The numerous “holes”
through the structure create external patio spaces for social interaction, but
that’s not all they do. Windows surround the areas and allow light into the
central interior spaces. Combined with the light coming in from the exterior
glazing, the entire structure becomes naturally lit, reducing the amount of
electricity needed to light the building. There is also a system in place to
naturally ventilate the space (except for in the Library and the Restaurant).
Not only is the
Rolex Learning Center a supermonument because of its size, but also for its
interesting and carefully planned structure, as well as its use of natural
light and ventilation.
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| Night Shot: The roof seems to float on a cushion of light. |
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