Technical University Delft in the Netherlands expanded its campus with the addition of Echo, a multifunctional space featuring variety of modular systems that allow for increased interdisciplinary use.

Key features

TU Delft in the Netherlands has welcomed a new interfaculty teaching building, Echo. The 8,844-sq-m educational space, designed by UNStudio, is equipped with mixed learning spaces for lectures, tutorials, group work, project-based teaching, and self- study for 1,700 students. Echo has been integrated into the Delft campus to help fill the university’s shortage of teaching space and its flexible nature allows the education space to accommodate a variety of faculties. ‘Unlike traditional campuses that operate in silos, the future campus needs to be programmed with agile spaces that invite students and faculty to learn, collaborate and co-create,’ says Ben van Berkel of UNStudio. ‘As student numbers continue to grow, educational buildings need to be extremely flexible, to operate through a model based on shared interfaculty use that can promote a more generalist education.’

Flexibility was built into many of the building’s spaces including a 700-person lecture room on the ground floor which can be divided into three separate rooms in 15 minutes. A similar movable wall system was used in the mixed teaching space on the first level. Office spaces on the second floor can make use of the modular wall system which allow for future changes to the layout and anticipate functional alterations in the future. The building's ground level extends directly into the adjacent square, allowing the space to effectively operate as a sheltered public space.

It further expands its connection with the wider campus and community, glazing was used around the building’s façades. Its literal transparency reiterates the notion of academic transparency, the importance of interconnection in a learning environment, and increases its the connection to the surrounding campus and nature, which also reduces the need for as much artificial lighting therefore reducing energy consumption. But extensive glazing can allow for excessive heat gain which was avoided by the installation of aluminium awnings. Close attention was paid to sustainability with the integration heat and cold storage system, smart functions and 1,200 solar panels, which generate enough energy for the building and its users’ functions. Additionally, 90 per cent of the furniture in the building has been reused.

Frame’s take

Echo represents two dominant trends in human-centric spatial design: agility and porosity. These two concepts are closely intertwined with one another: the more flexible a space is, the wider an audience it can accommodate and expands by whom and for what it can be used. While Echo is positioned mostly as a space aimed for academic function – by which it can be used by a variety of disciplines and learning methods – there’s no saying that it doesn’t have the potential to be used to the wider public’s benefit, taking the form as a cultural space, educational space, or community gathering space in off academic hours. Modularity and agile, well-connected spaces enable the space to adapt to the university’s needs but also bolsters the connection between the public and learning institutions.