Location:
Nicosia, Cyprus
Year:
2016
Type:
Public Building
Status:
Competition Entry
Size:
1500 sqm
The University of Cyprus organized an International Architectural Competition, aimed at the selection and appointment of qualified Architects and Consultants for the design of the Building Facilities of the Medical School and Health Sciences Building at UCY at Athalassa Campus.
Our proposal created a vital crack, a “positive gap”, a ravine of natural and social flow along the building, which revealed the natural topography, established visual links towards mount Athos and the surrounding landscape and allowed the infiltration of nature and passage of students through the center of the new building. The gap by acting as a free passage would act as a “branch” of the main pedestrian spine of the university campus.
Separating the building’s mass into two volumes significantly improves the bioclimatic behavior of the building, while the custom-made movable shading fins of the façade, address the problems of overheating due to direct solar radiation and shadowing by neighbouring buildings during the day.
The smart bioclimatic skin protects and shadows the upper floors, while establishing an extensive surface for the integration of transparent photovoltaic panels which provide sufficient energy to cover the needs of the building.