| | KACST - CITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY | |
| Office: | LAVA GbR |
Position: | Project architect (RIBA stages: A-C) | |
Client: | Undisclosed | |
Location: | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | |
Type: | Master plan research campus | |
Status: | Concept Design (2011) | |
Area: | 700.000m² | |
Cost: | Undisclosed | |
Partners: | RMJM, London, GB | |
MEP, Landscape: | Battle McCarthy, GB | |
Costing: | Bruce Shaw, GB | |
Wayfinding: | Space Agency, GB | |
Lab organisation: | Fraunhofer IAO, DE | |
The KACST master plan for a research and innovation campus in Saudi Arabia is based on the idea to create a campus that supports and advances knowledge exchange between the different institutes, ensures maximum flexibility in use and promotes an energy concept based on renewable energy and minimizing direct heat. The Campus is based on a modular framework specifically developed for the project. Following the framework, this system of research laboratories and support buildings allows maximum flexibility. To realize a campus that supports knowledge exchange, the different sectors of the campus are arranged close to each other, connected by the green boulevard. Beneath the boulevard the carpark is located. Several exit points (green lobbies) from the car park area to the boulevard reduce the walking distance to a minimum and provide meeting areas. Furthermore the different buildings are coupled together to generate localized microclimates for pedestrian flows between the buildings. Daylight, passive cooling and water use have been carefully controlled to make full use of available resources. The master plan shading system plays a significant role in the overall success of the environmental performance by minimizing direct heat for the public domain, with the potential benefit of generating energy to offset overall campus consumption. |
