EUCFC

European Curation Facility Center

Robert Baumgartner, Stephan Asboth

Location: Vienna

Floor Area:

Laboratories 1300 m2

Office 890 m2

Exhibition 790 m2

Total 3000 m2

Samples from Mars will be returned to Earth, but where should they be received, examined, curated and stored? This project comprises a functional laboratory for extraterrestrial samples. Different layers within the building provide an environment to manage an optimal sample flow, from arrival to safe storage in the basement below the workspaces.

A public area is attached to the research facility, to allow public engagement with the facility and sample flow. The building is composed of two hexagons including areas for public presentation, a bistro and comfortable office rooms for permanent as well as guests researchers.

The visitors and the scientists are divided by the different floors but linked together through visual connections. The work process becomes transparent to support a better understanding of who is working on these fascinating samples from outer space.

Idea & Concept

The basic concept of the building provides compact and flexible spaces for both science activities and public outreach. Both facility parts will interact with each other whilst remaining distinct from each other for security reasons. The form of the hexagon provides possibilities for expansion as well as interior flexibility. Due to extended time line, expandability as well as spatial flexibility are amongst the main foci of this project.

Functional Diagrams

Floor Plans & Sections

Ground floor

Public areas are located on the ground floor of the main hexagon, containing the lobby, an exhibition area, a cafeteria and a lecture hall.

The smaller hexagon comprises the laboratories and curation area for samples (analogue, restricted and unrestricted).

First floor

The offices are located on the first floor where both privacy and transparency is provided to the workers. The flexibility of the structure allows for areas where guest scientists can work.

Basement

The basement is a safe area for the storage of samples. The samples are autonomously transported to the storage from the laboratory on the ground floor. Machinery and equipment are stored in the basement and connected to the curation area above.