The new Panum

Location: Nørrebro, Copenhagen
Client: Universitets- og Bygningsstyrelsen og The University of Copenhagen
Team: Stig L. Andersson, Flemming Rafn Thomsen, Salka Kudsk, Erika Banyayova
Design phase: 2010
Realization: 2010-14
Area: 28.000 m2

In science, enzymes are de-scribed as proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In SLA’s design the landscape around the new health sciences faculty, in daily speech: Panum, will in the same manner catalyze the activi-ties that a modern research en-vironment demands. The land-scape will also ensure consis-tency between the many daily users of Panum and the district of Nørrebro.

SLA’s ambition is to create a unified landscape for Panum that establishes a clear and unique identity, based on the specific universe that characterizes Panum’s activities, both as a historical institution with many traditions and as a world class study and research environment of medicine and human biology.

The landscape also ensures strong relations to the rest of campus life while creating value for the citizens of Nørrebro.

A considerable scientific evidence points to the restorative value in prioritizing natural elements in our surroundings. Blood pres-sure, heart rate, muscle tension and other body stress indicators fall sharply after just a few minutes' contact with nature.

Several studies point to the fact, that users in study or office environments with ‘green views’ are significantly more effective than people who work in rooms without contact with nature. Thus it is not surprising that people with green views are more satisfied with their studies and work, have better health, and express greater pleasure in life.

Studies show that the greatest benefit of nature is achieved when it offers tranquility, grows a little wild, contains a large quantum of water, have a high diversity of animals and plants and have safe areas where children and adults can play.

The primary natural features of the new landscape of Panum acts as mini biotopes that can be characterized as condensed mini-circuits, placed wherever the space permits.

The biotopes are composed of large plant variation, which ensures a sensual, volatile and surprising experience of nature all year round. They integrate with accommodation for both individual users and groups and will be perceived as peaceful pockets in a vibrant, urban land-scape, where one will find both the possibility of immersion and a welcome break from ones studies.

Biotopes are seen as an impor-tant vision of how we design future cities as a part of nature and not in opposition to it.

The exterior surface - or the floor - around Panum has a dual role: both as a sensual and mundane urban space where people meet in everyday life, and as a gigantic picture to the delight of the hundreds of users in the central tower's offices and laboratories.

The floor is a diverse mosaic of many types of surfaces, forming an informal matrix of the land-scape in which one moves unim-peded. The criteria for these ma-terials are found partly in their environmental performance, partly in their aesthetic expres-sion.
 
In the surrounding buildings the roofs will be built as landscape elements that will be visually perceived as a changeable green carpet by the tower users.

Cyclists form a big part of Panum’s traffic. Therefore, as many surfaces as possible are made passable for cyclists. This will also accommodate Copen-hagen’s brand as the world's best cycling city.

The strategy for the parking of Panum’s 2.300 bikes is split: 50 percent must be on terrain, and 50 per cent below the ground. On terrain, parking spots of smaller units with up to 250 bikes are prioritized, located strategically at entrances and arrival routes.

Below ground a bicycle parking garage is connected to Bleg-damsvej though a bicycle ramp. Here one will have access to changing rooms and shower facilities as well as basic bicycle repair services.

Towers always have impact on their surrounding urban space. A high-rise casts shadows and can create an unpleasant climate, with gusts of wind at the foot of the high-rise that form a nui-sance to pedestrians and cyclists alike.

Wind genes are especially cre-ated where high angular build-ings with plain facades stand directly on the terrain. This creates horizontal wind swirls and vertical fall winds that can be very unpleasant.

SLA has been highly conscious of these challenges, and has throughout the design process worked intensively to reduce the inconveniences to a minimum. Shadows on the surrounding areas, especially the housing and public areas east, south and west of the building, are mini-mized by selecting a slimmed down form that is pulled back into the grounds.

The building's rounded shape reduces wind swirls around the corners and will decelerate and intercept the vertical fall winds. At the entrance area, where pedestrians walk directly by the tower's base, large trees and other landscape elements are incorporated that can effectively intercept the fall winds and create a pleasant outdoor environment.

The new site of Panum is situ-ated centrally on the inner Nørrebro - one of the country's most densely populated towns. The area is characterized by great ethnic diversity, a few large institutions, and large green spaces.

Spatially, programmatically, and typologically the area is charact-erized by great diversity and complexity. It is SLA’s ambition that the new landscape at Panum will contribute with a new type of ‘city nature’, bringing together the urban with the natural.

In SLA’s design, the new Panum will receive an international brand based on the unique universe that characterizes the activities at the faculty, both as a historical institution with many traditions and as a research capacity, developing world class bleeding-edge technologies.
 
The landscape will also secure the faculty’s transition to the general urban life in Nørrebro, and thus create value for the average citizen in Nørrebro.