Rolex Learning Center / SANAA

Architects: SANAA
Area: 37,000 m²
Year: 2010
Photography: Iwan Baan
Lead Architects: Kazuyo Sejima, Ryue Nishizawa
Project Team: Yumiko Yamada, Rikiya Yamamoto, Osamu Kato, Mizuko Kaji, Naoto Noguchi, Takayuki Hasegawa, Louis-Antoine Grego, Tetsuo Kondo, Matthias Haertel, Catarina Canas
Structural Engineering: SAPS – Sasaki and Partners
Contractor: Losinger Construction
HVAC Engineering Enerconom
MEP Engineering: Scherler Ingénieurs-Conseils
Facade Consultant: Emmer Pfenninger Partner
Energy Concept: Sorane
Client: EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne)
City: Lausanne
Country: Switzerland

Rolex Learning Center, an educational facility designed by SANAA in Lausanne, opened in 2010. This 37,000 m² structure integrates a library, multipurpose hall, café, and restaurant. its organic design, featuring undulating floors and roofs with minimal supports, creates and airy, floating appearance. The innovative building promotes openness and easy access, connecting various spaces and the surrounding campus seamlessly.

Iwan Baan has now shared a photoset he made for March’s issue of Domus magazines, showcasing the sloped interiors and stunning images of the perforated curved concrete and glass volume that shapes the building.

The learning center includes various programs such as a library, multipurpose hall, café, and restaurant. The building spans 37,000 m² and has an organic shape; the roof and floor undulate gently and in parallel, with minimal visible supports. The structure touches the grounds lightly, creating open space underneath and an airy, floating appearance.

This learning center is located at the EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) campus. SANAA designed it as a single space, positioned centrally for easy access from surrounding facilities. All programs are housed in this large room, covering an area of 166.5m x 121.5m, creating a topographical environment with waves that invite people to walk under and approach the central entrance hall.

The landscape of valleys, slopes, and humps, along with various light gardens, creates spaces with diverse characteristic. Elevated areas offer good views and are used as study spaces and the restaurant. Clusters of small light wells provide a quite atmosphere for offices. Each space is softly divided but remains continuous, connected to the campus outside. These strategies aim to create an open structure for people.