Rendu du bâtiment du smartlivinglab
Context
Volumetry
Modularity
Plans
Photovoltaics
Environmental performance
Context

A building at the heart of Bluefactory

The construction project, which benefits from Canton of Fribourg funding, was jointly developed by the Contracting authority BFF SA and the Smart Living Lab team. Once completed in 2025, the new facility in the heart of the Bluefactory site will provide laboratories, offices, and workstations for staff from EPFL, the School of Engineering and Architecture of Fribourg, and the University of Fribourg. In 2018, the project got off the ground with the launch of a 'Parallel Studies Mandate' (MEP), an innovative collaborative design process and investigated by the authorities in 2021.

The groundbreaking Smart Living Lab Building is not the only Bluefactory construction project. 

Building B
Construction is already under way on Building B, on the north side of the Smart Living Lab. Scheduled to open in 2024, it will house offices, laboratories, prototyping spaces, conference rooms and restaurants.

Silo
The canton of Fribourg Culture Heritage Service has designated the former grain silo as a structure of particular architectural and historic interest. In 2023, an design competition was launched to renovate this listed building.

Wood-iD
This modular building was constructed in 2021 using an innovative prefabrication process which will also make it possible to dismantle the structure at the end of its 5-year life cycle. Start-ups are the primary occupants of Wood-iD.

Blue Hall
This former industrial storage depot has been converted into offices and laboratories for companies and research centers. One of its current occupants is the Smart Living Lab.

Grey Hall
The canton of Fribourg Culture Heritage Service has designated the Grey Hall as a structure of particular architectural and historic interest. Once redevelopment work is completed, this listed building, which is located on the south side of the Smart Living Lab, will be home to the HEIA-FR architecture department, as well as the heat pumps that will power the Bluefactory's low-temperature district heating grid.

Annex 2
This building was demolished in early 2022 to make way for the Smart Living Lab building.

Utility corridor
This underground passage will connect several buildings and accommodate all the utilities they need.

Geothermal probes
Geothermal probes will supply the Bluefactory district's low-temperature district heating grid. Several probes will be placed under the site's buildings, including the Smart Living Lab, which will help to maintain an area of open ground. This outdoor space will be landscaped and will include vegetation and wetlands.

Vermicomposting
A vermicomposting facility located between the Smart Living Lab building and Building B will treat all Bluefactory wastewater on site and convert it into fertilizer.

BatA

Building A

BatB

Building B

CELLS

CELLS

HalleBleue

Blue Hall

HalleGrise

Grey Hall

NeighborHub

Hub

Silo

Silo

wood-iD

wood-iD

Volumetry
Modular cube

Modular cube

The cube-shaped building has six floors, including a basement and ground floor. Its total above-ground height is 18.70 m. The top view shows a 30 x 30 m floor divided into five identical 6 x 6 m modules offering a high degree of layout flexibility.

Modular cube

6-floor 'cube' divided into 6 x 6 m modules.
Subtraction and addition

Subtraction and addition

The initial prismatic volume is 'hollowed out' on the roof to create terraces, while at ground level it is 'stretched' in order to connect the building to the silo. These subtractions and additions produce a series of spaces that creates a dialogue between the building's inner and outer environments. These include the staggered experimentation terraces and the covered outdoor spaces (pergola and the awning) in direct contact with the public spaces at the heart of the Bluefactory site.

Subtraction and addition

Terraces and awnings positioned at different levels provide seamless inside-outside continuity.
Winter gardens

Winter gardens

Winter gardens are a key element in the building design. They serve as places to relax and experiment, and are an essential part of the natural ventilation system which is designed to backs up the building's mechanical ventilation system. All indoor and outdoor glazing is therefore controlled by a BMS (Building Management System).

The planting of the winter gardens will:

- contribute to microclimate management (shading, evaporative cooling, etc.)
- enhance the building's seasonal dynamics
- provide a pleasant mix of light and shade to actively support the social function of the space
- emphasize the verticality and generosity of the space.

The landscaping design has three main components:

A - Plant beds
Vegetation mainly at eye level will maximize its visual presence; planting-landscaping symbiosis.

B - Green wall (SE-facing winter garden)
4-floor green wall visible from the railway tracks and featuring an autonomous system that takes advantage of the wall's south-facing aspect.

C - Vertical climbers
Climbing plants emphasize the verticality of the space and provide a pleasant mix of light and shade.

Winter gardens

The floor-to-ceiling glazing interacts with the organic building's environment.
Atrium

Atrium

A central void in the middle of the building will bring light into the indoor spaces, provide vertical circulation throughout the structure, and serve as a visual and physical link to the myriad activities and spaces housed within the building.

Atrium

Vertical communication node that connects the indoor and outdoor spaces
Modularity
Load-bearing structure

Load-bearing structure

The building features a ground- and first-floor extension to the west which ends at the pre-existing silo. It also has two- and three-floor elevated inner terraces (winter gardens). The basement will be built entirely from reinforced concrete (walls, columns, basement slab, raft and foundations) due to the fact that is in contact with the ground and has to withstand heavy vertical and horizontal loads.

Above ground, the main structure will be built entirely from timber, with the exception of two reinforced concrete cores embedded in the basement to absorb horizontal forces generated by earthquakes and wind.

The primary structure of the Smart Living Lab building is a glulam frame (beams and columns). The slabs are composed of box elements supported by framing beams between the columns.

Supporting structure

Glulam frame and box slabs
Modular, detachable facade

Modular, detachable facade

The overall design of the building takes inspiration from how a living organism interacts with its environment. To improve the life cycle of the building, local resources will used as far as possible, and the main facade will be constructed from timber.

The facade is made up of regular modules, some of which can be dismantled/unmounted. The module will also be fitted with solar protection elements that vary according to the aspect. All facade elements are visible, which will make them easy to replace and will ensure the conditions are in place which the Smart Living Lab requires for its experiments.

In addition to the regular module, the building will have other facade types that are best suited to the different indoor functions. They include the experimentation terraces, the winter gardens (outdoor and indoor), the entrance and external doors, and the glass roofs over the pergola and atrium.

Modular, detachable facade

The prefabricated facade modules will be installed directly on the span of the main structure.
Flexibility of use

Flexibility of use

Constant evolution and experimentation are at the heart of the Smart Living Lab's ambitions as a research and development center. The partitioning, heating, ventilation and electrical systems therefore have been designed to provide maximum flexibility in how the spaces are used. Workplaces can be made more attractive; utilization can be densified to meet environmental performance targets; different working arrangements can be tested under real-life conditions, such as desk-sharing and hybrid work models; and the integration of lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flexibility of use

Multipurpose office space design
Plans
Basement

Basement

plan du sous-sol

Finished floor level (FFL) = -5.20 m

Uses:

- Plant rooms
- Storage and cleaning facilities
- Battery and machine storage rooms
- Showers and lockers
- IT room, washroom and shower with disabled access

R-1

Basement layout
Ground floor

Ground floor

Plan du rez-de-chausé

Finished floor level (FFL) = 0.00 m (FFL INF = -1.50 m )

Uses:

- Foyer
- Conference areas
- Laboratory workspace (climatic chambers)
- Cafeteria
- Washroom with disabled access
- Infirmary and lactation room
- General admin office and IT storage

R-0

Ground floor = Public
First floor

First floor

Plan du premier étage

Finished floor level (FFL) = +3.60 m

Use:

- Smart Living Lab (SLL) reception
- Winter garden (SOUTH)
- Office and meeting areas for SLL units and guests
- Brainstorming spaces
- Kitchenette
- Print room, IT room and washroom

R+1

R+1, R+2, R+3 = Offices
Second floor

Second floor

Plan du deuxième étage

Finished floor level (FFL) = +7.20 m

Use:

- Offices and meeting spaces for SLL units
- Capsule, lounges and informal breakout/meeting spaces
- Kitchenette
- Winter garden (WEST)
- Terrace
- Photovoltaic array, pergola
- Print room, washrooms with disabled access

R+2

R+1, R+2, R+3 = Offices
Third floor

Third floor

Plan du troisième étage

Finished floor level (FFL) = +10.80 m

Use:

- Offices and meeting spaces for SLL units
- Capsule zones, lounges and informal meeting/breakout spaces
- Winter garden (SOUTH)
- Kitchenette
- Print room, IT room and washroom

R+3

R+1, R+2, R+3 = Offices
Fourth floor

Fourth floor

Plan du quatrième étage

Finished floor level (FFL) = +14.00 m

Uses:

- Experiment space
- Flexible experiment spaces (terraces, EAST and WEST)
- Electronics workshop
- FAB LAB
- Prototyping workshop
- IT room and washroom

R+4

R+4 & roof = Experiments
Roof

Roof

Plsan de toiture

Parapet level = +18.70 m

Use:

- Photovoltaic assay on green roof
- Glass roof on atrium and winter garden skylights
- Outlet ducts and technical installations

R+5

R+4 & roof = Experiments
Longitudinal section

Longitudinal section

Section A

Longitudinal section
Cross-section

Cross-section

Section B

Cross-section
Photovoltaics

General PV installation data

Gross module area: 785 m²

Installed capacity: 141 kWp

Storage: 30 kWh Li-ion battery

Estimated annual performance: 850 - 900 kWh/kWp

Estimated self-consumption: 40% – 50%

Estimated self-sufficiency: 50 – 60%

Roof

Roof

South-facing aspect, 10° pitch

206 modules

Size 1,775 x 1,038 m

120 half cel./module

P:  370 Wp/module

Technology: Mono-Si

Roof-mounted BAPV assay

South-facing aspect, 10° pitch
Pergola

Pergola

Zenith orientation (North/South)

61 modules

Size 1,905 x 1,700 m

100 cel./module

P: 509 Wp/module

Technology: Mono-S (bi-facial)

BIPV assay installed on the pergola

Zenith orientation (North/South)
5° pitch
Facade - Winter gardens

Facade - Winter gardens

South-, east- and west-facing aspect

16 modules in 2 different sizes : 

9 modules of 0,70 x 3,48 m
84 cel./module
P: 427 Wp/module

7 modules of 0,70 x 3,70 m
84 cel./module
P: 427 Wp/module

Technology : Mono-Si (bi-facial)

BIPV facade field - Winter gardens

South-, east- and west-facing aspect.
90° pitch (vertical).
Facade - Apron walls

Facade - Apron walls

Orientation Sud, Est, et Ouest.
Inclinaison 90° (verticaux).

60 colored modules

Size: 2.56 x 0.85 m

75 cel/module

P: 351 Wp/module (*)

Technology: Mono-Si + integrated selective film or colored glass

(*) The power described here corresponds to the maximum potential. It will be reduced depending on the technology and characteristics of the visual customization system used (glass treatment, colored film, etc.).

BIPV assay mounted on facade - apron walls

South-, east- and west-facing aspect.
90° pitch (vertical)
Facade - Sunshade

Facade - Sunshade

South-facing aspect.
15° pitch.

28 modules

Size: 1.975 x 0.673 m

48 cel./module

P: 225 kWp/module

Technology: Mono-Si on flexible film

BIPV assay, facade-mounted - Sunshade

South-facing aspect.
15° pitch.
Annual cumulative solar irradiation

Annual cumulative solar irradiation

Unit : kWh/m² by year

Simulated annual cumulative solar irradiation on photovoltaic modules.