henning larsen architects win competition for ESS research facility

‘european spallation source research facility’ by henning larsen architects + COBE + SLA, lund, swedenimage © henning larsen architects

danish practices henning larsen architects in collaboration with COBE and SLA have won the competition to design the ‘european spallation source‘(ESS) research facility that will become the world’s first most advanced center for neutron-based research. the competition was won amidst a panel ofparticipating firms including BIG, foster and partners, tengbom, benthem crouwell, HOK, west8, and mecanoo. containing state-of-the-art technologies in carefully designed spaces, the program includes the usual trappings of a scientific research facility – laboratories, meeting spaces both indoors and outdoors, offices, lecture halls, along with the not-so-common 600-meter long proton accelerator and 180-meter long hall in which protons collide with a target and send neutrons off tangentially at unfathomable speeds down a number of other lengthy hallways armed with special measuring instruments. a visitor area will be partially integrated with the private spaces, encouraging more interaction with the public sector, and a water catchmentand redirection systems will disperse rainfall to the surrounding dry lowlands that will soon flourish with a rich biodiversity of plants, animals, and insects. although construction will not completely finish until 2025, research will commence in 2019 with an estimated two to four thousand researchers per year and will contribute great advancements to medicine, archaeology, and sustainable energy sources.

jacob kurek, partner and architect at henning larsen architects states:

‘researchers will travel to lund from every corner of the world. at ess, they will become part of a global research community. they will require space for concentrated work, but they will also need places where they can meet other researchers. in the atriums found in the buildings, they will be able to meet each other informally, inspire each other, exchange ideas and share their knowledge.’

video © henning larson architects

image © henning larsen architects

image © henning larsen architects

public exterior courtyards and promenadesimage © henning larsen architects

image © henning larsen architects

gathering spaces with a variety of plantlifeimage © henning larsen architects

research laboratoriesimage © henning larsen architects

bird’s eye viewimage © henning larsen architects

site planimage © henning larsen architects

project info:

architects: henning larson architects, CODA, SLAengineers: buro happold, NNE pharmaplan, transsolarcompetition start: 2012winners announced: february 2013open for research: 2019scheduled completion: 2025total floor area: 100,000 m2