Paul de Ruiter Architects have proposed a unique student pavilion for the Erasmus University in the Netherlands. The Amsterdam-based company’s competition entry, Ode to Light, is an energy neutral space where students can meet, relax and study, with the idea that the structure will become an architectural icon on the campus.
The light and energy on the sun is the foundation of the design with a hybrid roof that captures this energy with light-harvesting tubes. Passive heating and cooling systems further increase energy savings. The light and open interior of the building creates an inviting aesthetic revolving around a concentric atrium with theatre, café and work centres incorporated around the sides on a second floor. The ground level is enclosed in a glass façade, which further adds to the light appearance.
The select and considered placement of skylights ensures that direct sunlight and overheating are avoided. A ground-source heat pump heats and cools the pavilion and works with a radiant tube concrete core that reduces energy consumption.
