Behnisch Architekten winners of Smart Living Lab competition

Description of project by Behnisch Architekten

According to its authors, the building is designed around the core idea that it should be likened to a living organism, which interacts with its environment. Its façade integrates winter gardens which work as important connectors with the outside world, contributing to the diversity of space typologies, and the quality of the work environment. The atrium brings people together thanks to its position and the integration of a staircase. The main lobby has bleachers, which allows for an informal use of the space. The cafeteria, close to the lobby, fosters interactions with the public.

The project, described as “lively” by Philippe Jemmely, director of Bluefactory Fribourg-Freiburg SA, stands out for its potential to “manage tensions between opposite requirements: strong identity vs. flexibility, experimentation vs. robustness, generosity vs. simplicity”. Local resources and natural materials The building will provide workspaces for close to 130 people over a 5000m2 floor area, on four stories. Its main structure is made of timber. Wood is also used for a system of box slabs which integrates ventilation, and for the façade. The latter combines various species of wood according to their properties and their origin, paying particular attention to local timber.