Henning Larsen Architects has been commissioned to create a new university in the Faroe Islands. Described as one of the harshest campus locations in the world, the timber building is inspired by traditional local construction techniques and will feature a carefully designed overall form that the firm says will shelter students from the extreme weather, enabling them to enjoy the outdoors in the immediate vicinity for 150 days more than usual.
The Faroe Islands is a Danish autonomous territory located in the North Atlantic that often experiences unpredictable and challenging weather, meaning that time outdoors can be limited. Henning Larsen Architects has made this concern the key focus of the university project and has used computer modeling to calculate the shape of the building, creating a sheltered microclimate in the capital city Torshavn.
"Using wind and sun simulations, we have positioned the building volume so it is protected from the elements," explained Jakob Strømann-Andersen, Director of Sustainability and Innovation, Henning Larsen Architects. "We are transforming some existing parts of a parking lot into a new green community space, sheltered from the strong Northwestern winds dominating Torshavn. In this way, we add 150 days to the comfortable outdoor season and create the best possible conditions for outdoor life in one of the harshest campus locations in the world."
The building will be constructed from a mixture of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glued laminated timber (glulam). It will also be covered in turf, which will help insulate the interior, as well enabling it to blend in with the local traditional architecture, which includes some of the world's oldest inhabited timber houses, dating back to the 11th century.
The interior will measure 8,000 sq m (roughly 86,000 sq ft), which will be taken up by a central light-filled semi-outdoor corridor, a staircase with integrated seating, plus a library, study spaces, canteen, research areas, classrooms, and a large auditorium. The interior design will also maximize daylight and combine the natural wood with greenery.
Henning Larsen's design was chosen following an architecture competition including some major names like BIG, which has already produced its own Faroe Islands school, and COBE. It's confirmed to be going ahead, though we've no word yet on when it's expected to be completed.
Source: Henning Larsen