Named March’s winner of the month, the nearly energy-neutral academic building was recognized by the FRAME Awards jury for its sustainability-focused approach.

The Marga Klompé Building, designed by Powerhouse Company, is the first university building in Europe to be entirely constructed from solid wood. Located on the forested campus of Tilburg University in the Netherlands, the full timber construction took cues from its surroundings through its wooden walls, floors, stairs, frames and finishes. Besides its wooden construction, a palette of natural, circular materials such as wood, terrazzo and plasterwork were employed. Because of its wooden materiality, special attention was paid to acoustics, both in and outside the building, to ensure a positive learning environment inside and on the campus. The designer drew inspiration from the campus’ Jos Bedaux-designed Cobbenhagen Building, opting for a façade made of natural stone to mirror it. The stone contrasts the wooden finishes and lush forest surroundings, while still underlining the building’s circularity goals. ‘There’s a strong narrative of the wood and the stone in how it related to the landscape, both from the interior and exterior points of view,’ says Jason Immaraju, SVP executive design director at NVE Experience Agency. ‘It has this really strong sustainability story to it.’

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