Powerhouse Company

The new Erasmus University Rotterdam Student Center is located at the heart of a new master plan for the University area. Designed in combination with De Zwarte Hond, it is set to become a vibrant and central meeting point on the campus where research meets business and science meets culture. Sustainability, usability, transparency, and intimacy are the main objectives for the design of the Student Center. We approached the design with the idea of creating a building that can actively change its facade—not only to adapt to the weather and the cycle of seasons, but also to allow an adjustable level of intimacy inside, depending on the events. Through opening or closing the dynamic lamellae, users can determine how much daylight comes in. This leads to a reduction of the energy consumption, but it also enables one to adjust the level of openness of the building.