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Architects: 3XN
- Area: 20000 m²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Rasmus Hjortshøj
Text description provided by the architects. 3XN completes highly adaptable timber building. Located outside Odense, Denmark, Cobot Hub brings people and robots together in a modular, timber office building designed for long-term efficiency. The new shared home of companies Universal Robots (UR) and Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) is the world's largest hub for cobots; collaborative, industrial robots that work alongside humans.
Across markets and industries, the business landscape is in constant flux. Status quo is a rare sight for companies that are almost always either growing or shrinking in size. This unpredictability necessitates that we also incorporate adaptability in the way we do architecture. The 20,000 sqm Cobot Hub brings together the two cobot manufacturers UR and MIR under one roof in a building that allows for them to evolve and where research and innovation can unfold within and across company borders. It is as much a meeting place as it is an office building. "We are thrilled to see Cobot Hub full of life and activity, both human and robotic," says Audun Opdal, Head of Design and Senior Partner at 3XN. "We aimed to balance the complex needs of the two companies with a simple construction that allows for the flexibility required in their business."
The multifunctional building encompasses a mix of office, warehouse, testing and communal areas. The spaces are divided out across three stepped floors that surround a large courtyard. The building volume follows the topography of the landscape forming a low, terraced structure that appears both compact and playfully dynamic when seen from the outside.
A modular building adaptable for the future. Cobot Hub is a modular building, designed as a response to the single, fixed function which characterizes traditional office buildings. The design is based on a square 5.8m x 5.8m timber grid. This approach provides a flexible framework that allows for Cobot Hub to expand and be transformed according to future needs. "Cobot Hub appears in many ways tailored to the specific functions of a robotics company," says Opdal. "Yet, by putting functionality at the forefront of the design and prioritizing modularity, the building can in fact house most types of activities. Cobot Hub is in this sense a long-term efficient building as it can grow in size within its current scheme while being adaptable to fit the needs of future users – whether it being a robotics company or something very different."
An honest approach to architecture. Cobot Hub's simple design centres around its timber construction. The timber columns and beams make up the building's flexible modules and enables the possibility for disassembly and reuse. Inside, all timber structures are exposed and visible, organically integrating in the open work environment. This gives the interior an honest expression where little is hidden from the users. The materials used are standardized building materials that you could pick up in any hardware store. What is significant for the building is how the architects have carefully curated the materials and how there is no hierarchy between fine materials and standardized ones – they are all viewed as resources and have been treated with care, creating a welcoming atmosphere.
A united campus environment. Cobot Hub forms a united campus environment. The vision has been to promote a flow of both people and knowledge within and across the two companies. UR and MIR have their own separate open plan office spaces while shared common areas, double-height lounges, atria and a large canteen encourage informal meetings between all the building's users. Given the flexible nature of Cobot Hub, the interior layout is designed accordingly. The concept of 'neighbourhood choice environments' shapes the office areas by offering diversity of working areas. Social as well as private spaces are scattered throughout, giving the employees the option of choosing their preferred work setting. Promoting well-being, the openness and transparency of the interior extends through to the outside. Large windows let daylight permeate the building while providing panoramic views to the green surroundings. Outdoors, a shared courtyard and terraces on different floors are places for employees to have a break or a chat under the sun.
