TU/e Recharged

The design for the TU/e recharged building is the final design that concludes the bachelor studies, the magnus opus so to speak. This design is accompanied with a research that has complemented the outcome of the assignment as well as helped to make considered decisions in the design process.

From the conducted research it could be concluded that there is no consensus on silent architecture, but that several notions and concepts are linked to the notion of silent architecture. Moreover, the theory and design principles of the Bossche School provided a framework to guide the design, but also here, there is no direct correlation between the notion and the Bossche School. Furthermore, the theory could help the design process, but in the end, one also had to take the context of the building into account and by doing so the theory had to be adapted to fit its environment.

The final design for the spaces in the building was based on three different principles: nature, light and proportions. For nature, sightlines were created wherever possible to the nature surrounding the building. For light, the contrast between dark and light and the different lighting conditions were used to guide the movement within the building and create specific experiences within a certain space. For proportion the theory of Dom Hans van der Laan or also named the Bossche School was used to design the specific dimensions and relations between different elements in the complete building. Next, some other important design elements include the façade system, the material choice and the pivoting doors in the exposition space. Finally, attention was paid to create details that are as minimal as possible. All has been done to create a building for the students and staff of the TU/e where people unwind and contemplate on mind and body, where silence and rest is the common factor, and where recharging is central.