The laboratory of one of the world's largest cement manufacturers has been designated as a completely green building and has already achieved LEED platinum certification.
The research center, the official name of which sounds like Italcementi i.lab, is conceived not only as a scientific laboratory, but also as a kind of showroom that clearly demonstrates the possibilities of innovative use of cement. The site for the construction of this complex was allocated on the territory of the Kilometro Rosso Technopark. The Italcementi Corporation got a section bounded by two roads and therefore has a triangular shape. It was this circumstance in many ways that prompted the architects to make the compositional solution of the building - in its plan it resembles the letter V, between the two wings of which a green courtyard is organized.
A new public space also appeared on the side of the intersection: under a spectacular acute-angled console supported by thin supports, the architects broke a small triangular piazza, the boundaries of which are marked with special lamps at night.
The internal layout of the complex is made as laconic and flexible as possible, which makes it possible to arrange work and exhibition areas of almost any size and configuration. In the south wing, the public functions of the laboratory are concentrated: there are meeting rooms, a 2-level conference room, as well as a meeting room of the company's board of directors located in the console and illuminated by skylights.
Interestingly, the entire roof is perforated with holes of different diameters through which daylight enters the building: its intensity and direction can be adjusted using a special shutter system. This helps not only to protect the premises of the complex from overheating and too bright sun, but also by minimal means to create a constantly changing atmosphere inside, where white color dominates, and chiaroscuro plays an important decorative role. The premises of the laboratory itself and technical services, located below ground level, are illuminated with the help of additional courtyards made in the form of recessed niches.
The snow-white reinforced concrete was developed by Italcementi especially for this project. Material dubbed TX Active®, not only attractive in appearance, but also environmentally friendly - reacting with ultraviolet radiation, it absorbs harmful gases contained in the air. Also in this project, low-emission glass is used, and in addition to solar energy, geothermal energy is used, which together makes the new building completely independent from central power supply systems. It was for this that Richard Mayer's new building was awarded the LEED Platinum Certification.
A. M.
