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European Center for Geological Education
European Center for Geological Education
Chęciny, Poland
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European Center for Geological Education
Chęciny, Poland
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2015
SIZE
25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft
BUDGET
$10M - 50M
Photos
The ECEG is a multi-functional research and development center. It is a meeting place for geologists from around the world, located in a depleted quarry Korzecko. The challenge was to fulfill the functional requirements with the smallest possible impact with the existing surroundings.
The project is located in old, exploited quarry in region of Holy Cross Mountains which are a unique place of geologists illustrating 560 million years of Earth’s history, 500m away from the ruins of medieval royal castle. The rectangular blocks of the buildings were scattered around the quarry like freshly loosened stone blocks that are the reminiscent of the former function of this place.
The glass corridor and the landscape openings cropping pictures provide constant link between the interior and landscape.
The façade is a reference, but also a game with traditional stone masonry techniques used in the region, including the nearby castle and regional huts.
The ECEG is a complex of five buildings: 1-entrance lobby, canteen and auditorium for 240 people, 2- research laboratory and auditorium, 3, 4, 5 hotel base for staff, guests and students.
The geometric shapes of the buildings, as compared to the background of the aforementioned 30 m rock wall, create a connection between what is natural and what is processed with the human hand, making us reflect on the importance of natural resources and their management.
External courtyards open onto rocks and a view of the valley create cozy spaces for education and integration. Interior courtyards lit by sunlight are a space that serve for communication and for the integration of residents.
The intention of the project was to create forms that will not dominate, but complement its unique location. The glass corridor connecting the buildings and the landscape openings cropping pictures provide constant link between the interior and surrounding breathtaking landscape.
The facade is made of chipped stone blocks of limestone, geologically identical (in terms of age, structure and appearance) with the quarry rock. The stones on the facade are grouped into “schools” of different fractions, creating alternating fields of various sizes. On the one hand, it is a reference, but also a game with traditional stone masonry techniques which have been used in the region for centuries, including the nearby castle and regional huts.
The ECEG complex is comprised of five buildings.
First main building includes representative functions: an entrance lobby connected to the canteen and a foyer with an auditorium hall for 240 people.
The second building is a research laboratory facility with geological laboratories where the found specimens are subjected to pre-treatment. Then the created formulations are analyzed in chemical, geo-physical and geological mapping laboratories. The whole technological line is connected with an education area enabling young students of geology to participate in the process.
The other three buildings are intended as a hotel base.
Building 3 was designed with a higher standard intended for the staff and guests of the facility, and building 4 as an accommodation base for students.
The hotel buildings have been designed with double rooms. Each room has a large window with a comfortable, wide desk designed in such a way so as to form a whole with the window. Thanks to this, users will be able to peacefully explore knowledge and contemplate the surrounding landscape.
The location of the buildings was intended to create a space between them, thereby creating small external courtyards opening alternately onto rocks and a view of the valley. The resulting areas create cozy spaces for education and integration. When shaping the interior of the buildings, particular emphasis was put on common spaces. Hotel rooms are located around interior courtyards lit by sunlight through fanlights in the roof. The idea was to create a space that will not only serve for communication, but also for the integration of residents.
The Geological Center became not only a meeting place for geologists from around the world but is also an important center for local community. It is a place of employment, education and social life of for its neighbors.
The challenge was to find balance between aspects related to energy efficiency of the buildings, the use of renewable energy sources, combined with an optimal cost and respect for the surrounding nature, animate and inanimate.
The basis for reducing energy consumption: optimum use of daylight, protection against overheating by using highly-selective glass, internal and external blinds, use of ”gray water”, surface water retention tanks, possibility of natural ventilation in the rooms, high thermal insulation envelope, high heat capacity of the building, green roofs, BMS – monitoring energy consumption, managing energy consumption through all the integrated systems.
The main source of heating and cooling for the buildings are heat pumps with a ground heat exchanger. The lower source consists of 91 wells drilled 120m deep. Water is heated thanks to the solar installation in the form of solar collectors placed on the roofs.
The foundation of a landscape design was preserving the all-natural vegetation and plant communities, therefore we use on the ground and green roofs only naturally occurring plant species in this area.
Main structure material of the building is reinforced concrete. Raw structure, concrete walls cast in wooden alike shuttering are interior finishing material for common spaces. The buildings differ from each other by the color of the floors and woodwork. The interior materials reflect the need for high chemical and physical resistance.
The external appearance of the buildings was based on a contrasting combination of raw stone facades with different tectonics with flat panels of glass viewing areas and the connector.
The facade is made of chipped stone blocks of limestone excavated from a neighboring quarry in Bolechowice ,10 km away.
The rock produced during the excavations was used to create the area for outdoor activities, the surface of internal roads and the bands around the buildings. The visual effect of the facade will be positively influenced by the laps of time. The vegetation will surround the buildings.
Natural rock was exposed in the substrate of the building for the external walls of the underground auditorium. It is a place with a unique microclimate, which is also a “showing nearly 1 milion years of Earth’s history for visiting geologists.
The project is located in old, exploited quarry in region of Holy Cross Mountains which are a unique place of geologists illustrating 560 million years of Earth’s history, 500m away from the ruins of medieval royal castle. The rectangular blocks of the buildings were scattered around the quarry like freshly loosened stone blocks that are the reminiscent of the former function of this place.
The glass corridor and the landscape openings cropping pictures provide constant link between the interior and landscape.
The façade is a reference, but also a game with traditional stone masonry techniques used in the region, including the nearby castle and regional huts.
The ECEG is a complex of five buildings: 1-entrance lobby, canteen and auditorium for 240 people, 2- research laboratory and auditorium, 3, 4, 5 hotel base for staff, guests and students.
The geometric shapes of the buildings, as compared to the background of the aforementioned 30 m rock wall, create a connection between what is natural and what is processed with the human hand, making us reflect on the importance of natural resources and their management.
External courtyards open onto rocks and a view of the valley create cozy spaces for education and integration. Interior courtyards lit by sunlight are a space that serve for communication and for the integration of residents.
The intention of the project was to create forms that will not dominate, but complement its unique location. The glass corridor connecting the buildings and the landscape openings cropping pictures provide constant link between the interior and surrounding breathtaking landscape.
The facade is made of chipped stone blocks of limestone, geologically identical (in terms of age, structure and appearance) with the quarry rock. The stones on the facade are grouped into “schools” of different fractions, creating alternating fields of various sizes. On the one hand, it is a reference, but also a game with traditional stone masonry techniques which have been used in the region for centuries, including the nearby castle and regional huts.
The ECEG complex is comprised of five buildings.
First main building includes representative functions: an entrance lobby connected to the canteen and a foyer with an auditorium hall for 240 people.
The second building is a research laboratory facility with geological laboratories where the found specimens are subjected to pre-treatment. Then the created formulations are analyzed in chemical, geo-physical and geological mapping laboratories. The whole technological line is connected with an education area enabling young students of geology to participate in the process.
The other three buildings are intended as a hotel base.
Building 3 was designed with a higher standard intended for the staff and guests of the facility, and building 4 as an accommodation base for students.
The hotel buildings have been designed with double rooms. Each room has a large window with a comfortable, wide desk designed in such a way so as to form a whole with the window. Thanks to this, users will be able to peacefully explore knowledge and contemplate the surrounding landscape.
The location of the buildings was intended to create a space between them, thereby creating small external courtyards opening alternately onto rocks and a view of the valley. The resulting areas create cozy spaces for education and integration. When shaping the interior of the buildings, particular emphasis was put on common spaces. Hotel rooms are located around interior courtyards lit by sunlight through fanlights in the roof. The idea was to create a space that will not only serve for communication, but also for the integration of residents.
The Geological Center became not only a meeting place for geologists from around the world but is also an important center for local community. It is a place of employment, education and social life of for its neighbors.
The challenge was to find balance between aspects related to energy efficiency of the buildings, the use of renewable energy sources, combined with an optimal cost and respect for the surrounding nature, animate and inanimate.
The basis for reducing energy consumption: optimum use of daylight, protection against overheating by using highly-selective glass, internal and external blinds, use of ”gray water”, surface water retention tanks, possibility of natural ventilation in the rooms, high thermal insulation envelope, high heat capacity of the building, green roofs, BMS – monitoring energy consumption, managing energy consumption through all the integrated systems.
The main source of heating and cooling for the buildings are heat pumps with a ground heat exchanger. The lower source consists of 91 wells drilled 120m deep. Water is heated thanks to the solar installation in the form of solar collectors placed on the roofs.
The foundation of a landscape design was preserving the all-natural vegetation and plant communities, therefore we use on the ground and green roofs only naturally occurring plant species in this area.
Main structure material of the building is reinforced concrete. Raw structure, concrete walls cast in wooden alike shuttering are interior finishing material for common spaces. The buildings differ from each other by the color of the floors and woodwork. The interior materials reflect the need for high chemical and physical resistance.
The external appearance of the buildings was based on a contrasting combination of raw stone facades with different tectonics with flat panels of glass viewing areas and the connector.
The facade is made of chipped stone blocks of limestone excavated from a neighboring quarry in Bolechowice ,10 km away.
The rock produced during the excavations was used to create the area for outdoor activities, the surface of internal roads and the bands around the buildings. The visual effect of the facade will be positively influenced by the laps of time. The vegetation will surround the buildings.
Natural rock was exposed in the substrate of the building for the external walls of the underground auditorium. It is a place with a unique microclimate, which is also a “showing nearly 1 milion years of Earth’s history for visiting geologists.
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