Building Z will be home to the Industrial Sciences courses (engineering and electro-mechanics) for Artesis College and Karel de Grote College on the Groenenborger Campus. The new building project includes laboratories, offices and classrooms.

Concept

Building Z is entirely constructed of prefabricated concrete sandwich panels that give the building a unique character. Both the structure and the finishing are combined in 1 element. The massive façades are punctuated by large window parts with passive wood-aluminium joinery and equipped with exterior blinds.

The no-nonsense materials are consistent in the interior: the inner walls of light, acoustic-absorbing concrete blocks in combination with acoustic baffles, provide good room acoustics. The entrance hall stands out for its warm finish in sustainable timber.

In terms of material choices, we carried out a thorough investigation whilst bearing in mind DMT's vision, the proposed budget and the requirements regarding building experience, energy, acoustics and sustainability.

Constructional and -technical installation advice

We delivered specific constructional advice during the design of the building, amongst other things this included the building envelope packages, thermal bridge free and airtight detailing, type of exterior joinery, blinds.

Several studies by means of dynamic simulations were conducted for the application of shading with slats for passive cooling for the meeting foyer. Dynamic simulations were also used to evaluate the feasibility of night ventilation and summer comfort in different laboratories.

In addition, a feasibility study was conducted for the application of alternative energy systems, such as a heat pump and a dry cooler.

BIM

The technical construction file for Building Z was fully developed in Revit: examining all the construction nodes and specifications, quantity surveys and plans were linked.