Architects SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli and Witteveen+Bos have been chosen by the European Space Agency (ESA) to implement its Accelerated Investment Plan (AIP) for ESTEC, the European Space Research and Technology Centre.
The AIP involves modernising and improving the sustainability of the ESTEC site in Noordwijk (The Netherlands), a 160,000 m² campus where 2,800 people are actively engaged in technology development and space science research.
Over the course of six years, the ESTEC campus will undergo a transformation in three phases. The heart of the redevelopment project is the Orbit, a central hub connecting the campus around which other facilities, such as satellites, will gravitate.
The Orbit is connected to five office buildings and a laboratory, to facilitate and encourage connection between employees. The predominant use of glass in the facades also allows for continuous interaction between the external environment and users.
The project also takes into account relevant global issues, such as the climate issue and the environment. A park will be created within the campus to promote natural water drainage and other climate adaptation solutions. The use of modular, standard-sized components in the design will reduce costs and optimise the use of resources.
A key aspect during the implementation of the AIP will be to ensure the continuity of ESTEC’s operations. More than 2,800 people, including employees, researchers, space engineers and astronauts, work on the campus. The planned new facilities are designed to meet the needs of this diverse range of professionals, who share meeting rooms, research spaces and other work areas. The offices are designed to be adaptable and dynamic, both in size and function.
Agostino Ghirardelli, architect and founding partner of SBGA Blengini Ghirardelli: “We started collaborating with ESA on the ESTEC project in 2017, initially with a limited role in the redevelopment of the campus. We are honoured today to receive this important new assignment, which we see as the result of collaborative efforts and a shared vision to achieve a contemporary, dynamic and stimulating working environment. These are the principles that guide us in creating the future of this area together with our colleagues at Witteveen+Bos. We are thus contributing significantly to a sustainable project that supports world-class technological research”.
For further information, please visit www.sbga.it.
