Laura Alvarez . dGmR

Study of sustainability and extension of the Faculty of Architecture . Delft

Laura Alvarez

In 2009 we won the First Prize for the competition building for Bouwkunde TU Delft. This competition was launched after the tragic fire that turned the existing faculty into ashes. We proposed to stay in a building meant to be the temporary location for the Faculty, the former Main Building of the TU Delft Campus. The investment was already done and it seemed to be a perfect location for the Faculty of Architecture.
Not long ago it has been decided that the new Faculty of Architecture will stay at the Julianalaan, as we proposed in the Competition.
We have been invited to think how to transform the existing building into an energy neutral monument and at the same time extend it according to the new requirements (much smaller extension that the one asked in the competition).
We proposed a balanced solution: The new building will generate energy that will be used for the old building. It will also help to create a much more compact building to reduce the heat loss and the old and new part together will reorganize the circulation and structure of the whole complex avoiding the existing dead ends and long corridors.
The spaces created between old and new buildings will serve as the lungs of BK City. They regulate inner climatic conditions, light entrance and of course  will be ideal places for interaction between students and teachers.

location | Delft [NL]
client | TU Delft
area | 45.000 m2 [renovation] 7.000 m2 [extension]
design | 2010-2011
building costs | 25.000.000 eur
team | Laura Alvarez, dGmR [Paul van Bergen]