Viñoly is proud to announce the design of a new academic building for the Universidad de Buenos Aires – Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. With over 100,800 students and a faculty of over 6,500 teachers, Universidad de Buenos Aires is the premier institution for scientific study and research in Argentina and the core of academic learning for South American nations.
The innovative building design responds to the site with an interior ellipse and infinity-shaped courtyards that were purposely carved out of the central atrium to protect the native trees that predate the development of the site. The building features an enclosed space that is flooded with daylight and natural ventilation via two interior courtyards located in the central atrium. On the ground level these areas are bordered by a cafeteria and student lounges, and on the second level by research laboratories that overlook the gardens. These courtyards house clusters of native and exotic trees and provide occupants with lively gathering spaces and an energizing research environment.
Designed to be highly sustainable, the building’s heat gain is prevented by a high performance glass facade that is covered with a system of metal fins, which deflect sun-rays away from the building. These fins provide building occupants with privacy as they shield them from distracting outdoor activities and block out sounds from the exterior. A roof-top garden not only provides a pleasant view for surrounding buildings, but also reduces heat gain, and a radiant cooling/heating system takes full advantage of an underground river that flows directly beneath the site.