Danish Neuroscience Center

Gyrification: Brain Folds — Gyrification is the process of forming the characteristic folds of the cerebral cortex.

Corridor Building + Efficient Healthcare + Atrium = "Cortrium" Building

Traditional Corridor Building vs Unzipped Corridor Building

Connecting to Existing Buildings: No Dead Ends — To provide maximum connectivity all building elements grow from the existing campus and plug back into it again. Creating this loop will eliminate all unnecessary dead ends.

Target Floor Area: Exceeding Site Boundary — To reach the target GFA of 19,000 m2 the typical floor plate needs to provide an average of 3,000 m2. Following the strategy of splitting the corridors and creating a loop back to the existing building this area couldn't would exceed site boundaries.

Gyrification — Taking the brain as a direct reference the building folds to provide the necessary square meter count within a limited site area. It leaves the building with a main atrium space and several more private courtyards. The "kissing" moments of the corridors provide shortcuts and views to the exhibition.

4.5m Floor to Floor: Kissing Corridors — To connect to the existing building the give 4.5 m floor to floor height is maintained. Like this the technical and logistic link is given on each connecting floor.

5 Floors Above Ground — A maximum of 5 floors (22.5 m above ground) can be reached. An adjustment of the upper floors is necessary to provide the atria with sufficient daylight.

Activating the Courtyards — The activation of an otherwise unused courtyard provides the new research center with a direct outdoor link to the existing building and a more sheltered garden.

Terracing: Daylight — The reduction of the highest floors provides the building with outdoor terraces on each level. At the same time the center is adjusted to reach the daylight requirements and keeps the necessary connections to the existing building.

Landscape Gyrification — The limited site area made it difficult to keep enough green spaces in all previous atrium building studies. With the folding of the building the landscape folds in as well, creating pockets of green for each courtyard.

CROSS SECTION

LONGITUDINAL SECTION