Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality recently awarded Building 324 on Lyngby Campus the municipality’s architectural prize. The award is given to a building that is particularly successful in merging architectural, functional, and technical quality.
By Line Juul Greisen and Lotte Krull
Enthusiasm for the new Building 42 is not limited to students and staff at DTU Compute. In connection with Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality’s Day of Architecture on 1 October, the municipality awarded Building 324 its architectural prize for the building’s valuable contribution to architecture.
The jury on Building 324:
“The building clearly demonstrates DTU’s deep commitment to new architecturally successful buildings in connection with campus consolidation and a spirit of respect for DTU’s existing buildings and master plan.”
The judges’ committee also highlights the building’s sustainable energy solutions as a further reason for making the award.
"We also take this as recognition of our continued efforts here at Lyngby Campus to create innovative architecture that respects DTU’s original look, as we expand the campus with new buildings and facilities dedicated to research and teaching."
Ole Kristian Bottheim, Head of Real Estate, DTU
“The building is a low-energy building project featuring sustainable energy solutions: Optimized climate shield, completely new and different ventilation system and a high exploitation of daylight, which together reduce heat and electricity consumption to a very low level. The indoor trees also play their part in ensuring a healthy indoor climate.”
Student life beneath the canopy
The bright, open building is an example of how intensive research activities and intensive teaching activities can be united in the same building. The first and second floors are devoted to DTU Compute—Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, while the ground floor is designated as joint teaching facilities with six classrooms. Beneath the canopy of the 24 black olive trees, the building’s common areas on the ground floor serve as active study areas and niches that buzz with activity and are open to everyone at DTU.
“We are particularly pleased that the building culture association in Lyngby-Taarbæk Municipality has seen fit to recognize one of our new buildings on campus with this fine award for its architecture and functionality. We also take this as recognition of our continued efforts here at Lyngby Campus to create innovative architecture that respects DTU’s original look, as we expand the campus with new buildings and facilities dedicated to research and teaching,” says Ole Kristian Bottheim, Head of Real Estate, M.SC.
Winning architects behind several campus buildings
Architectural firm Christensen & Co (CCO) designed the 4,600 m2 building, whose large staircase beautifully completes south-facing Matematiktorvet. CCO are also the architects on several of DTU’s new buildings, among these, Building 127—the large Life Science and Bioengineering complex in the northern part of Lyngby Campus—as well Buildings 128 and 129—the new facilities for DTU Civil Engineering.
Building 324 was inaugurated at the beginning of 2013.
Building 324 was selected from among seven nominated building and renovation projects in the Municipality of Lyngby-Taarbæk. The criteria for the selection were good architecture within new buildings, extensions, renovation for all types of use, as well as construction that is unique and valuable for its surroundings and era, and which have been built in the last four years.
In its assessment, the panel of judges emphasized the following points:
- an understanding of the building’s character and surroundings.
- sustainability as an integral part of the project implementation and operation.
- functional design, which also provides for people with disabilities.
- Room furnishings inside and out that create a good and secure framework for healthy living.
The panel of judges consisted of members from the Building Culture Association, Lyngby-Taarbæk Planning Committee and an external architect.