Studio Dois - Rik den Heijer & Carolina Sumares in collaboration with Jorge Luis Duque Arimany. Published on October 25, 2012.

Introduction
The new Edificio Parque Tecnológico will be located close to the main entrance of the Instituto Tecnológico y de Energias Renovables and will have a representative function. The new building shares the plot with the current v-shaped administrative building with a garden, and will be placed on the eastside of this building. The plot is relatively flat, but has a sharp difference in height between the garden of the administrative building to the rest of the plot on the eastside. Using these difference in height of the plot, we situated the program in 4 levels, creating a representative sustainable building that is filled with natural light and is deeply connected to its location.

Studio Dois - Rik den Heijer & Carolina Sumares in collaboration with Jorge Luis Duque Arimany. Published on October 25, 2012.

Concept
The heart of the building is a green inner garden, that is connected to the garden of the administrative building. This inner garden begins on the first basement (level +32), and expands in all directions on the levels above. The building is built up of “closed” building parts and an “in between” area with the garden and interlinked terraces that offer views to the landscape surrounding the building. This “in between” area is a half-acclimatized area that is free of wind and rain, brings natural light deep into the building and gives the possibility of a regulated natural cross ventilation of the rooms. The plants and the pond in the garden help to regulate the humidity of the air in the building in a natural way. A light undulating roof consisting of photovoltaic panels slightly curving to the south and windows curving to the north protects the “in between” areas from rain and blocks the direct sunlight.

Studio Dois - Rik den Heijer & Carolina Sumares in collaboration with Jorge Luis Duque Arimany. Published on October 25, 2012.

Organisation
In the first basement, which is on the same level as the administrative building, the laboratories are arranged around the central patio. A wide entrance area connects the administrative building with the heart of the building, around which wide stairs circulate to connect the different terraces. The laboratories on the South side get natural light through a setback from the retaining wall opening them directly to the outside, the other laboratories get natural light from the patio.

Studio Dois - Rik den Heijer & Carolina Sumares in collaboration with Jorge Luis Duque Arimany. Published on October 25, 2012.

The second basement houses the parking garage and storage area and is accessed by a ramp between the administrative building and the new building. On the ground level, the main entrance on the North side opens directly to the central area, providing a view to all activities of the building, and the ITER site and surrounding landscape outside. On the left-hand side of the entrance there are the common areas and restaurant, which has a huge window giving a view to the ocean. The kitchen of the restaurant has direct access to the street for deliveries. On the right-hand side there are the classrooms, meeting rooms and conference hall. The library is located in a separate volume to facilitate possible differences in opening hours. The “in between” area can be used for (informal) meetings and classes, or temporary expositions. A secondary entrance on the South side connects the building with the other buildings on the ITER site. On the first floor the offices and places for investigation are organized in two volumes with 2 large terraces and a void in between. The shape of the volumes and the excessive natural light on both sides give the possibility to make various sizes and types of rooms. On the terraces, researchers have the possibility to work in a more informal atmosphere between the plants, relax or simply enjoy the view to the outside or the garden and other activities inside.

Studio Dois - Rik den Heijer & Carolina Sumares in collaboration with Jorge Luis Duque Arimany. Published on October 25, 2012.

Appearance
The smooth curves of the new Edificio Parque Tecnológico gives the building a certain softness that makes it blend in with its surrounding, while keeping its function as an icon for the Parque Tecnológico. The spatial organization of the new building is being reflected in its appearance. For the exterior and interior facades of the “closed” volumes, we’ve chosen to use the yellow natural stone that is traditional for the area. On the exterior, where needed, this natural stone becomes a half-open brise-soleil in front of a glass facade to protect the rooms from direct sunlight, while giving lots of natural light inside and keeping a certain visibility to the outside. The facades of the “in between” areas are glazed to the maximum, with windows that can open for cross ventilation if the wind allows. The undulating roof with photovoltaic panels is “floating” above the closed volumes, completing the composition of natural stone and glass, of tradition and technology.

Studio Dois - Rik den Heijer & Carolina Sumares in collaboration with Jorge Luis Duque Arimany. Published on October 25, 2012.

Studio Dois - Rik den Heijer & Carolina Sumares in collaboration with Jorge Luis Duque Arimany. Published on October 25, 2012.