C.F. Møller Architects aim to create projects where science buildings become mixing chambers capable of creating a social and interdisciplinary environment, where great minds can exchange just as many ideas over a cup of coffee as across the test tubes in a lab. 

The overall planning defines a new way of bringing scientists together in stimulating, transparent architecture, where the surrounding buildings and context create opportunities to turn each site into a buzzing campus. One which is capable of showcasing and expressing the vision of science, while fostering innovation, attracting talent and making its inhabitants proud.

One would expect that the most important part of the research environment is being in the laboratories, in front of the flask or in front of the computer. But the fact is that you get your best ideas when having a cup of coffee out on the research plaza, or when you run into a colleague from one of the other levels, says Ole William Petersen, Professor of Tissue Morphology and Differentiation, DSc., at the University of Copenhagen and one of the users of the Maersk Tower.

C.F. Møller Architects’ experience in designing labs and research complexes which set new standards, dates back to the beginning of their work with architecture. The core of the design approach is based on putting people and wellbeing at the centre. This contribution to building up Scandinavian welfare societies has been the backbone of C.F. Møller Architects’ work from the very beginning, with Aarhus University in 1924 as the first major project, one which still ranks as one of the best universities in the world. Almost a century of building research facilities, has given knowledge, experience and understanding of what is important to accomplish complex, technical, ambitions in the fields of healthcare, education, and culture.

Integration of the surrounding community 

When working with large institutions like research facilities, or healthcare buildings, it is crucial to establish an involvement and synergy with the surrounding community, landscape, and public realm.

The better the synergy and involvement is with the community, the easier we can succeed in creating a building that embraces openness and provides quality for the community. This can be done by involving spaces and attractions in the building that extend beyond the building’s own residents and creates a natural and general accessibility for the public, says Klavs Hyttel.

At the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm the openness of the new laboratory building Biomedicum, has created a transparent, inviting ground floor, with public access to the atrium, as well as a café and public exhibition spaces. Links through the local park were established to strengthen public access to the institute, making Biomedicum a pivotal point in the area. This has created a distinctive icon of world class research, for which the Karolinska Institute is known.

The Maersk Tower is located in central Copenhagen, it has thus been important to ensure that the building both connects to its surroundings, and stands out by contributing to its lively neighborhood. Here every walk of life can meet, and there is a strong and welcoming connection between society and science. With its inviting, sustainable campus park and open square at the main entrance, the Maersk Tower is fully integrated with its surrounding neighborhood.

It is a big day for the University of Copenhagen, but it is also a very big day for Copenhagen as a city because the Maersk Tower is a gift to research, knowledge, and education. But it is also a big gift to the citizens of Copenhagen because this is a beautiful tower and it also gives something to the city, with its ground floor and gardens, and that we are very happy about, says Frank Jensen, Mayor of Copenhagen Municipality. 

The Maersk Tower is publicly accessible during opening hours, with cycle and walking paths crossing the base of the building, thus promoting social sustainability as well as integrating and connecting with its surroundings.

Flexibility

Creating solutions for a rapidly advancing society, as laboratory requirements and working conditions change over time, means incorporating a large degree of flexibility which must be embedded in these buildings.

Flexibility in the laboratory and healthcare buildings means that installations measures can be moved around and ensure that they are up to date. The relationship between offices and laboratories is constantly changing, and it is important to embrace the versatility and the shifting need for this. This is done by ensuring that the installations that are used in the laboratories are also present in the office areas, and vice versa, says Klavs Hyttel.

With Biomedicum, the Karolinska Institute has gained a single, unifying environment for future research with ultra-flexibly equipped laboratories and office facilities which act as a catalyst for cross-cutting collaboration between the various research and study environments. The general research floor layout is divided into a coherent two band solution of offices and labs. The office spaces are placed in an outer perimeter band, with a wide lab zone creating the inner band which borders the inner courtyard.

Karolinska Institute is world-famous for its basic research, and Biomedicum will take this research to new heights, says Karolinska Institute’s President Ole Petter Ottesen.

At the Darwin Centre, the office and write-up areas were designed around flexible furniture that can be set up in various groupings and quickly re-arranged to allow research teams to be formed and re-formed.

Daylight for wellbeing

Daylight is always a major focus when designing our buildings. The positioning of the building and its form are guided by daylight and environmental conditions. Meaning that we work with facades that can shield against overheating and control the daylight, and thus achieve the most optimal conditions, as to where certain spaces are placed in the building, says Klavs Hyttel.  

Optimised daylighting is one of the key features ensuring that the Phama Science Building is constructed as Low Energy Class 2015, with a total energy requirement of max 41 kWh/m²/year.

At Akershus University Hospital, in Bergen the design of the complex reveals the influence of the high priority given to daylight for all workspaces. This also frames views of the surrounding landscape and creates contact with the outside environment.