RESEARCH CENTRE TENERIFE

The heart of the Edificio Parque Tecnológico is a green inner garden, that is connected to the garden of the neighbouring administrative building. This inner garden begins on the first basement, and expands in all directions on the levels above. The building is built up of “closed” building parts and an “in between” area with the garden and interlinked terraces that offer views to the landscape surrounding the building. This “in between” area is a half-acclimatized area that is free of wind and rain, brings natural light deep into the building and gives the possibility of a regulated natural cross ventilation of the rooms. The plants and the pond in the garden help to regulate the humidity of the air in the building in a natural way. A light undulating roof consisting of photovoltaic panels slightly curving to the south and windows to the north protects the “in between” areas from rain and blocks the direct sunlight.

The smooth curved walls give the building a certain softness and make it blend in with its surrounding, while keeping its function as an icon for the Parque Tecnológico. For the exterior and interior facades of the closed volumes, we’ve chosen to use the yellow natural stone that is traditional for the area. On the exterior, where needed, this natural stone becomes a half-open brise-soleil in front of a glass facade to protect the rooms from direct sunlight. The facades of the “in between” areas are glazed to the maximum, and an undulating roof with photovoltaic panels is “floating” above the closed volumes, completing the composition of natural stone and glass, of tradition and technology.

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