Automated shutters are utilized to regulate the internal climate of this environmental science and palaeontology study centre for a university near Barcelona .
Barcelona-primarily based studio H Arquitectes designed the ICTA-ICP developing for the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona campus in the Catalonian municipality of Cerdanyola del Vallès.
Rows of transparent shutters that clad the concrete construction develop a “bioclimatic skin” that helps to regulate the temperature inside of.
The corrugated polycarbonate shutters operate immediately based on climate circumstances, like a computer-managed greenhouse.
This is one of the crucial functions that gained the building its LEED gold energy rating – a certification in which buildings are ranked according to their energy efficiency.
“The concrete construction is wrapped and protected by a lower-price exterior bioclimatic skin,” explained the architects. “By installing a greenhouse-industrialised technique that opens and closes its mechanisms automatically, the solar achieve and ventilation are regulated.”
“This way, it is achievable to increase the interior temperature naturally and promise a base of comfort in the circulation spaces as effectively as in the in-in between spaces,” the architects extra.
The concrete creating comprises seven equally sized floors – three over ground and two under – and is covered in rows of the shutters, which are supported by a galvanised steel framework.
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“In accordance with the analysis fields of the creating users, they chose from the starting a creating ready to give an ambitious response to the problems of sustainability,” said the architects. The studio managed to decrease the building’s energy and water consumption by 62 per cent and 90 per cent respectively in comparison to a standard developing of its scale.
Walkways and open meeting spaces surround a big atrium that runs by means of the core of the developing.
The atrium is topped by a zigzag skylight that offers normal light and ventilation for the series of timber-clad offices and laboratories positioned close to its edge.
Administration locations, classrooms and a bar are positioned inside these boxes on the ground floor, while the 3 amounts above host offices and laboratories. A vegetable garden is situated on the uppermost floor below a glazed roof.
Parking is situated on a semi-basement degree accessible from a single side of the internet site, while warehouses and more laboratories are set on the floor below.
Air from the two basement ranges is redistributed through cavities in the retaining walls and utilised to temper the atrium, making a stable temperature all 12 months.
The wood-clad offices feature windows and ceiling supporters that give a degree of management over the climate within, while laboratories can be a lot more strictly managed by artificial signifies.
“The building reacts and adapts constantly, opening and closing itself, activating and deactivating itself, managing to use all the normal prospects supplied by the atmosphere,” said the architects.
“The method has been programmed in favour of the optimum passive behaviour of the creating and to minimise the use of non-renewable power sources,” the architects added.
Readings from heat, humidity and carbon dioxide monitors positioned in the office spaces are processed by the central pc method, which makes use of this data to assist regulate the climate.
The external shutters are controlled by a comparable procedure, with roof-based mostly heat, humidity, solar and wind-monitoring units. During wet or windy climate the polycarbonate shutters automatically close, even though in sizzling and dry climate they open to improve ventilation, providing the developing a serrated profile.
Photography is by Adrià Goula.
Venture credits:
Architect: H Arquitectes (David Lorente, Josep Ricart, Xavier Ros, Roger Tudó) and DATAAE (Claudi Aguiló, Albert Domingo)
Crew: Montse Fornés, Bernat Colomer, Xavier Mallorquí, Toni Jiménez, Ileana Manea, Josep Garriga, Anne Hinz
Environmental consultants: Societat Orgànica
Engineering: Oriol Vidal
Consultant architects: Coque Claret y Dani Calatayud
Structural layout: BOMA
Budget: Eulàlia Aran
Accessibility: Marta Bordas
Agronomy advisor: Cati Montserrat
Quantity surveyor: UTE NDa + RCe
Model: Carlos Rocha
Rendering: Play-Time
Consumer: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)
Web site program 
Ground floor prepare 
Initial floor prepare 
Area Dezeen
