Atlas University Wageningen

This new landmark of the University of Wageningen will provide an advanced technological centre for research and development on environmental, plant, animal, agrotechnological and food sciences, placed onto a new campus, the Born Centre. Rafael Vignoly Architects have developed, together with the Dutch counterpart Van den Oever, Zaaijer en partners, a box with a concrete raster on the outside. This is not just a sun-screen; it’s actually part of the primary structure. The interior is filled with workspaces around a central atrium, interconnected with bridges and galleries. A glass roof permits northern daylight to enter, and is, at the same time, the only direct relationship with the outside. The expected transparency does not expanded into the main interior hall. So the encouraged interaction between scientist and students happens ‘only’ on the four bridges, and not between the inside and outside world. The surrounding landscape design for the new campus was made by Bureau B+B.