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Unithèque à Dorigny


The proposed extension to the Unithèque at the University of Lausanne merges a complex of five canopies into the landscape. Complementing the existing library’s gestural form, the proposed canopies both connect and separate the internal functions of the library. The curved canopies complement the existing form while allowing each pavilion to develop a sense of autonomy, producing four seemingly independent structures that function as one, increasing the sense of urban conviviality on the site.

The intersection in plan and section generates a series of interconnected terraces and pavilions that engage to resolve the separation between architecture and landscape. The proposed pavilions disperse and return to the existing complex, creating a new credible pedestrian campus for Dorigny.

The distribution and aggregation of the five canopies create an exterior courtyard, which is accessible to the students, staff, and faculty to interact and forge connections between natural landscape and built landscape. The courtyard preserves existing vistas towards the mountains and Lake Geneva from the existing Unithèque. The public can access the courtyard from the southwest and northeast corners, as well as the gaps spacing the four pavilions above ground. The terraced open plan, shaped by ramps and staircases, allow for an adaptable interior plan that can accommodate varying programs.


Client
UNIL

Location
Lausanne, Switzerland.

Program
Library, café, conference, office

Area
13,900 m² / 149,618 ft²

Value
73 million CHF

Status
Competition

Team
Daniel Bayne, Andrew Heid, Yawen Jin, Jean Lien, Jie Xie, Jialin Yuan, Daniel Zuvi





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