PROJECT INFORMATION

Year Completed: 2016

Project Team: Andrew Thomson and Jurie van Dyk

The NMU Life and Physical Sciences Building was designed as a part of the Design Competition and Fee Tender in 2015,  as an important student social gathering space on NMU South Campus for the various science departments.

PROJECT

The building is situated at the edge of South Campus, creating a public landscaped courtyard and features a raked auditorium with an atrium as well as laboratories and offices that cater to the needs of staff and students.

The heart of the building is the Atrium Hub, a semi-public space on the ground floor designed for staff and student interaction and relaxation. The atrium is naturally lit and ventilated and opens onto east and west-facing semi-public platforms or decks.

Vertical and horizontal circulation, stairs and galleries are suspended around the edges of the area to enliven the space and encourage casual conversation, chance meetings and spontaneous interaction.

The office administration facilities are situated in the first-floor gallery space in the atrium for greater visibility and accessibility. Academic staff facilities are situated in the gallery on the second floor, with a view over the atrium and nature reserve.

Labs and tutorial spaces are on the upper two levels of the north wing for more privacy and are also partially raised to allow for direct pedestrian linkages from the northern parking area as well as emergency vehicle access to the courtyard and library.

Staff and student movement is drawn along the courtyard edges of the building to enliven the building, while offering a casual view of the public courtyard space.

The roofline, or sky edge, of the building is formed by the energy aerofoil, incorporating horizontal axis wind turbines and solar panels above the auditorium roof. Solar PV panels power the motorised ventilation windows to the top of the atrium as well as the motorised vertical sunscreens over the west glass façade of the atrium.

The aerofoil also assists in ventilation through negative wind pressure suction to the top of the atrium.