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THE DISCOVERY CENTRE, CAMBRIDGE
The bulk of the building is the ‘triangular disc’ which appears to hover above its base. It’s in fact supported by six rectangular glass boxes, grouped into three pairs
The DISC is largely formed of a glass envelope – again enhancing its porosity and making the building and the work taking place inside it as visible as possible. A sawtooth roof runs from east to west, allowing natural light to fl ow through the building. The sawtooth pattern is echoed in the building’s facade with a vertical zig- zag geometry. These patterns, along with the hovering effect, add to the building’s distinctiveness and make it a recognisable feature of the wider CBC. The bulk of the building is the ‘triangular
FACTFILE: PLANNING
Architects: Herzog & de Meuron Executive & Landscape Architect: BDP Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing & Structural Engineering: BDP Cost Consultant: Turner & Townsend
disc,’ which appears to hover above its base. It’s in fact supported by six rectangular glass boxes, grouped into three pairs. This creates the open courtyard space in the centre, with the triangular glass disc on top also containing a triangular ‘hole’ in the centre where the courtyard sits. Forming an essential part of R&D, laboratories constitute the DISC’s main functional spaces. They’re housed within the glazed rectangular boxes which not only support the structure but also
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extend vertically through every fl oor of the building. The layout and design of these laboratories allows different groups to work side by side, once again enhancing the building’s collaborative focus. To build on this further, glazing was used extensively throughout the interior, allowing transparency across each fl oor of the building. This also further enhances the visibility of the work taking place inside the building to both employees and visitors. The workspaces utilise open plan layouts as much as possible, arranged and designed in ways to offer employees a choice of workplace settings ranging from private study spaces and quiet areas and booths, to larger more informal collaboration spaces. The building has an ‘inner ring’ of main circulation space on the upper fl oors around the courtyard. There are also various spaces located around this, adding to the workspace options for employees and meeting spaces for visitors.
The internal layout of the building has been carefully considered, with each of the
ADF MAY 2025
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