Neo – Concrete Bubbles of Love
Tengbom Architects:
Krister Bjurström, Anna Morén Sahlin, Kjell Jansson, Anna Mistry Bergbom, Daniel De Sousa Barrera, Miguel Reyes, Sofia Kanje, Kristoffer Adolfsson, Ana Gejo.
LINK Architecture:
Laila Ifwer Sternhoff, Laila Boström, Elaine Young
Tengbom Computational Design:
Shahrokh Kamyab, Jakob Lilliemarck
Designer:
Suvad Muratovic
Acoustic design:
Akustikkonsulten
Butong :
Jean-Charles Violleau, Hamid Yaldan, Malin Wahlström, Staffan Snis, John Nilsson, Lars Höglund, Benjamin Levy
Philips Lighting:
Svante Pettersson, Daniel Ljung, Disco Anders
Photographer:
Birnee Per Lundström
Customer:
Karolinska Institutet, Veidekke
Special thanks to Johannes Kuhnen, Design to Production
Written about the project:
Article on Archdaily.com in English
About the project
Sweden’s latest research building, Karolinska Institutet – Neo, contains an atrium with unique acoustic qualities.
The two concrete bubbles enclose Europe’s most advanced classrooms.
Inside, lectures are held on a gigantic 15×3 m LED screen. The sound is sent around via 68 microphones and 234 speakers (61 + 129 in the small hall).
Outside, exclamations and speeches can be made using the concrete shell and its shape. The speaker can choose his position along the shell depending on the size of the audience.
Absorption of sound was never a starting criterion, rather sound quality. The millions of microperforations absorb noise and the cavities diffuse high frequency sounds while the large shape of the shell diffuses low frequency sounds. The result is a unique environment of undisturbed speeches and discussions can be held.
The entrances to the auditoriums have perforations in the form of Oxytycin, the love molecule, to remind the visitor of the joy of life. The perforations have been given a direction to simulate an electron cloud – a sphere of love that the visitor steps into.
The molds were produced with as little material as possible. Each of the 250 unique panels needed its own mold that consisted of 12 unique metal parts. The mold was then filled with granules that were hand-shaped to the correct 3D surface. The granules can be reused in production indefinitely.
With the light off, the room recedes slightly and resembles the early pencil drawings.
Butong panel
Light show in Neo
