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Architects: Rørbæk og Møller Arkitekter
- Area: 3000 m²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Adam Mørk, Niels Nygaard
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Lead Architects: Anders Wesley Hansen
DTU Skylab: Fostering scientific creativity and entrepreneurship. At the Danish Technological University, DTU Skylab is a paradigm of how architecture can enhance research and entrepreneurship. This DGNB diamond-certified building attracts scientific creativity, fostering a cross-pollination of skills. It's a hub where ideas from mushroom studies to rocket science converge, illustrating the power of architecture in strengthening research and innovation. In essence, the architecture of DTU Skylab embodies and enhances the fundamental values of research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The DGNB certification system is a leading global standard for sustainable building practices. It evaluates the sustainability of buildings based on a comprehensive range of criteria, including environmental, economic, and socio-cultural aspects, across the entire life cycle of the project. Buildings can achieve bronze, silver, gold, platinum and diamond certification based on their performance. The DGNB diamond recognizes exceptional design and architectural quality. By meeting DGNB diamond plus gold, DTU Skylab exemplifies sustainable construction, supporting DTU’s commitment to design, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The expansion of Skylab, Denmark's first DGNB diamond-certified new construction, acts as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship. DTU Skylab has become a hub of innovation and collaboration, drawing talented individuals worldwide. Its open and flexible environment facilitates the cross-fertilization of ideas, encouraging the exploration of radical new concepts and the unleashing of robots.
Recognized internationally as an innovation hub, the new building by DTU Campus Service, Rørbæk og Møller Arkitekter, and EKJ Rådgivende Ingeniører has fostered a vibrant innovation environment and supports interdisciplinary communities among students, researchers, and businesses. The social aspect is a fundamental condition for innovation and entrepreneurship.
As soon as one enters the 'Developer Hall', the vibrant community of researchers, students, and entrepreneurs is evident, all engaged in developing inventions from vegetable-harvesting robots to wind-to-energy kites. The golden walls, the scent of coffee from the café, and a rocket hanging from the ceiling all contribute to a magnetic effect.
The new Skylab, with its elegant and playful composition of golden boxes harmoniously stacked, organizes itself in a lively and flexible manner. It offers adaptable spaces for various activities and functions on the users' terms. The building's compact structure enhances sustainability through reduced heat loss and optimal daylight anatomy, allowing for closer collaboration and cross-pollination of projects. The idea is to build minimal space with an optimal layout, eliminating waste and redundant corridors.
DTU Skylab's spaciousness, robustness, and grandeur, which are necessary for housing rockets and robots, also contribute to its long-term sustainability. The building's flexibility and robust materials, like the golden wall panels, serve as a resource bank for future construction. Its adventurous yet practical design encourages bold thinking and experimentation, essential for pushing boundaries in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The building's durable materials and easy-to-clean surfaces make for efficient operation and minimal maintenance. Energy-efficient systems, meticulously regulated and monitored, further optimize operation and reduce lifecycle costs. This focus on long-term economics ensures that energy and resources are channeled into research and entrepreneurship, not building maintenance.
