Located on the outskirts of the University of Lausanne in Chavannes-près-Renens, Switzerland, the Vortex will house nearly 1,000 students and academic guests by the end of this summer. Designed by Swiss-based IttenBrechbühl, the building welcomed 1,800 athletes taking part in the Youth Olympic Games at Lausanne earlier this year.
The circular form of the architecture creates a vast inner courtyard that is more representative of a park or village square. A number of entrances provide access to this courtyard from the outside, creating an immediate connection to the outer countryside.
Each floor was constructed with modular "boxes," and are connected by a spiral ramp that moves throughout the building. The construction was completed quickly due to the prefabricated nature of the modular units. Each of the floors, except the ground floor, is identical in layout.
The result, is a monolithic mass built economically, sustainably, and timely, and one that will serve as a home for the students of University of Lausanne for years to come.
10 Comments
Would love to see some plans and sections!
such sad little trees in that big hole
Strong Panopticon vibes.
Invest in binoculars (or curtains)
.
Looks like the worst built jail ever. It's a disgustingly inhumane architecture showing poor drawings skills. A pur, characterless disgrace planned by uneducated wannabees.
You really are a vapid piece , aren't you?
https://www.archdaily.com/24210/tulou-housing-guangzhou-urbanus-architects-by-iwan-baan
a happier and more meaningful possible reference than the tired allusion to panopticons
I tend to take issue with architecture that pulls visual precedent from a vernacular but ignores the cultural precedent that brought the style into being. This typology makes sense in Guangzhou, less so in Switzerland.
i don't have any reason to believe that's what this architect was doing. i'm just noting a resemblance that seems more interesting to me than that of the panopticon. but i also dispute the notion that borrowing from outside contexts should be automatically rejected. innovation comes from adaptation. the typology of insular big-family housing definitely seems relevant to the considerations of community for a small-town dormitory.
I love the toilet paper roll on stilts they added between those 2 beds in the one interior picture.
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