SANAA Architects are another architect duo that won a Pritzker Prize in 2010 and the Velux Daylight Award in 2014. SANAA consists of the Japanese pair called Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa. They were established in 1995 in Tokyo. They were the winners of the competition to design the Rolex Learning centre. This project is located on the site of the ecole polythenique fédérale de Lausanne (The Science and Technology University EPFL) in Switzerland. The competition was first started in 2004, while the construction took place from the years 2007-2009. The learning centre then officially opened on February 22nd 2010. The project spans over 37,000 square metres which includes one main level and a basement. The whole development provides a wide range of facilities for the users including 860 student workspaces, a multipurpose hall with a capacity of 600 people, dining areas that total to a 261 person capacity when lumped together, a library containing over 500,000 volumes, a bookshop, offices and 500 parking spaces.(15) And not to forget, lovely spaces outdoors like terraces and patios. This building is open to, of course, the students, but also the public.

           The President of EPFL, Patrick Aebischer, has said that the Rolex Learning centre “exemplifies our university as a place where traditional boundaries between disciplines are broken down, where mathematicians and engineers meet with neuroscientists and micro technicians to envision new technologies that improve lives. We invite the public into this space to convey the message that working in science is working for the advancement of society.”(14)  This is clear from the organic shapes that the structure is made up of. It is a very experimental and distinct space that is unlike usual buildings we step into every day. Visual barriers like walls and steps are eliminated to give flow from one space into the next. Instead, gentle slopes are incorporated to create a less harsh division of spaces, “the topography lends an extraordinary fluidity to the buildings flexible open plan”. (15)

As mentioned, this whole building is on one universal level. Although this is great for the fluency of spaces, this kind of design can sometimes cause problems for noise. To overcome this, designated quiet and silent areas were created by a clever and well thought out change of level. From areas that are higher, there is a spectacular view of Lake Geneva, The Alps and of course, the campus itself. Although structurally very complex and advanced, the building actually meets the ground very lightly which gives way for even more space underneath the building for socialising. In fact, this whole project lends itself very well, and almost encourages, social interactions and meetings. There are no visible divisions between the spaces which makes people subconsciously feel less secluded from one another. (15)

            To add to the success of this project, we can say that the Rolex Learning centre is a very energy efficient building with low energy consumption. There is huge amounts of daylight throughout the whole building and a controlled natural ventilation system, all which contribute to its success in energy efficiency. In addition to this, all windows are double-glazed. “It achieves a 38.5 kWh/m2  (139 MJ/m2) energy consumption thanks to high quality double-glazed windows, 20cm of insulation in the roof and up to 35 cm in the ground, exterior blinds, natural lighting and ventilation, and because it takes advantage of the 25-year-old installation of thermal pumps that use lake water for cooling the whole campus.”(15) This is very impressive considering the open nature of its plan. It is in fact so successful that it has achieved the ‘minergie label’ – “the standard used in Switzerland for measuring environmental excellence in buildings.” (15)

            so, for the last time, lets evaluate this building in relation to the questions we posed at the beginning of the essay. How does this project deal with daylight throughout the whole year? And, Does it take all possibilities of light into account? We can see that this project uses daylight for a lot more than just atmosphere. It has used it to help increase the energy efficiency of the whole building. From this single piece of information, we can already tell that the architects took the daylight into much consideration. On top of this, most spaces are lit from both sides by means of floor-to-ceiling double glazed windows, this allows light to enter the spaces from many different directions. This will help keep all the areas lit well for the majority of daylight hours throughout the year. Next, how does this project manage the glare that naturally comes with the direct daylight that they are looking for? This is managed by means of external blinds, as well as many courtyard-like glazed areas that aren’t necessarily directly exposed to daylight. This project hasn’t yet reportedly come into any problems concerning glare. Finally, Is the quality of light in this space adequate? And, Is the quantity of light at an ample but comfortable level given its use? This project is designed in a way that focuses on atmosphere and light. All areas are well lit, with no space left out. Due to the openness of the floor plan, the light can easily spread through the spaces and has no barriers. Besides this, most areas are equip with large windows on almost all sides, so there definitely isn’t a lack of light. 

14.      Fairs M. Rolex Learning Center by SANAA. Dezeen. 2010; 

15.      SANAA: rolex learning centre in lausanne, switzerland. designboom.