he Svalbard Science Centre is in February, when the sun is well below the Designing for the Arctic located in Longyearbyen, a horizon, daytime is only indirect light – a The main structure of the building is in town of some 2,000 inhabi brief period of bluish twilight. timber, to make onsite adjustments simpler tants on the island of Svalbard, So, designing a major 8,500-m2 (91,500 and to avoid cold bridges. An insulated cop- 78˚ north. It’s about halfway sq ft) addition to a university research per-clad skin is wrapped around the com between mainland Norway and building [specializing in Arctic studies, nat plex spaces demanded by the plan, creating theT North Pole, which is just 600 miles urally] presented Norwegian architects an outer shell adjusted to the flows of wind away. The name Svalbard means “cold Jarmund/Vigsnæs AS Architects MNAL and snow passing through the site. The coast,” which is appropriate, bearing in with some unusual challenges. The Sval whole building is raised up on 390 steel mind that mean air temperature is well bard Science Centre was commissioned posts to avoid melting the ground per below zero for most months of the year, and through an invited competition, and the new mafrost, and it almost seems to float above temperatures as low as -50˚C (-58˚F) are structure is an addition to an existing uni the ground. It was an essential requirement encountered during fierce winter storms. versity and research building, extending it to maintain space between the building’s The ground is permanently frozen, and to about four times its original size. Not sur base and the frozen ground, but this allows this permafrost presents major challenges prisingly, the project is the largest building the wind to blow through, particularly in for building work – particularly with foun in the town of Longyearbyen and, indeed, winter storms. So, to make sure that any dations and below-ground services. In fact, the arctic island region of Spitzbergen. The buildup of snow would not create undesir the town’s small graveyard stopped accept building comprises an expansion of the able conditions in front of doors or win ing newcomers 70 years ago, after it was University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) as well dows, climatic 3-D simulations were carried discovered that the bodies were failing to as space for the Norwegian Polar Institute, out during the design process and the de decompose! Another difficulty for construc the Governor of Svalbard, and the tion is that Svalbard remains in total dark Svalbard Museum. It includes a wide ness from mid-November until January. range of very different spaces, including Then, during the first part of November and lecture halls, research laboratories, offices, and exhibition areas.
An insulated copper-clad skin is wrapped The Svalbard Science Centre. around the complex spaces.
24 • INTERFACE F EBRUARY 2009 sign was altered as a result. Both physical and virtual models were important tools in the design process of such complex shapes, while an accurate 1:50 construction model also facilitated work on site. Working with a copper skin proved particularly flexible in adapting to the developing design resulting from both the climatic studies and the com plex demands of the plan.
Rewarding Design The final design is an organic form derived from a lobster-shaped plan and faceted cross sections using sloping façades and shallow pitched roofs. At first sight, the long, low, faceted profile of the building seems arbitrary – almost like some alien structure sitting in the snow or perhaps an One of the models used to develop echo of the angular faces of the surrounding the complex design, shaped like a lobster. mountains. But the geometry is, of course, driven by essential practical considerations Choosing Copper copper is used in this impressive building. such as the effects of the flows of wind and Copper was chosen for the external skin Svalbard has a limited but unique local snow through the site. The project was for a variety of reasons besides its design ecology – including polar bears – that must “Highly Commended” in the 2007 European flexibility. In essence, it is durable, with a be preserved; so, the impacts of new build Copper in Architecture Awards, which rec particularly long life, and effectively re ings, particularly one this large, must be ognized that, “With a complex, technical quires no maintenance, which would other minimized. An environmental analysis of programme and such a challenging envi wise have been a problem in this remote copper was carried out for the building own ronment to accommodate, architectural location. Part of the existing building al ers at an early stage. In particular, the design could easily have taken second place ready had a copper roof, so copper on the amount of copper in rainwater runoff was here. A limited palette of materials – essen new parts gave a natural connection. Cop calculated and found to be very small, bear tially timber and copper – has been used per supplier Luvata worked closely with the ing in mind the low precipitation levels in rigorously both inside and out...This is a architects and the installers to develop the area. As a result, it was decided that beautiful building, particularly in its moun details and installation methods to suit the façades as well as the large tainous, arctic snowscape.” taxing environment. “Mill finish” An important consideration for the architects was to create vital public spaces and circulation areas inside the building – effectively an “interior campus” area provid ing warm and well-lit meeting places during the dark and cold winter. The pine-clad spaces have a complex geometry directly related to the outer skin of the building. Although circulation is organized efficiently, at the same time, the public spaces offer varied vistas and experiences, while ser vices are generally hidden in the tilted walls of the interior.
Curious about what Longyearbyen looks like now? Check out the live Webcam photos at http://links.svalbard.com/out.php?ID=37 Because of copper’s unique workability characteristics, construction continued in even the coldest weather.
F EBRUARY 2009 I NTERFACE • 25 areas of roof could be clad in copper, lead ing to its cur rent distinctive complete copper envelope design.
Using Copper Roofs are clad using the long-strip tech nique, with half- hard, 0.7-mm thick copper trays and 50-mm-high, raised, single-lock Simulation of wind flows seams, primarily around the building to avoid snow buildup near windows. to create shadow lines and give visual “structure” to the surface. work. Four sheet metal workers took The copper trays are around 10 m (33 ft) about a year installing 10,000 m2 of long, with a fixed zone in the middle and copper to roofs and façades – the movement joints along the roof fall as well longest roof slope being 60 m. as across the trays. A stiff mounting plate in Copper maintains a consistent mal The pine-clad spaces inside have a the seam was soldered on and fitted with a leability and “feel,” which makes manual complex geometry directly related to the outer capillary break. Particular care was needed work entirely predictable. Indeed, hard- skin of the building. in executing the seams to ensure free ther metal roofing installers often show a pref mal movement across the trays. All the erence for copper over other metals, as it ron ment, both the design and construction jointing details were preformed in a work can be worked at all temperatures and, of this project are remarkable achievements. shop on site to minimize work on the roofs unlike metals such as zinc, does not Copper installation contractor Svein and façades themselves. become brittle and break in cold weather, Freitag summed up work on Svalbard when The project’s general contractor was forming sharp edges. Some of the work on he said, “Originally, we planned to stop Skanska, while Norwegian company Erling the Svalbard Science Centre was carried out work in December and restart during the Freitag A/S carried out the copper during biting following April because we thought it would cold winter be too cold and dark. But our guys booked storms, but the earliest tickets back that they could the copper after the Christmas break. In fact, March cladding re was the coldest, but we only lost three days tains good – when the temperature dropped below workability, -40˚C! Wind chill was the worst aspect, as even at low wearing so many clothes made it difficult to tempera work. But the continuous darkness was tures, there never a problem – actually, the pale blue by extending Arctic light is very beautiful. The project construction went well overall, and we would do it all time further again if we could.” into the cold season. Editor’s Note: This article was originally Bearing in printed in the November 2008 issue of mind the roofingmag.com, the publication of the exceptional National Federation of Roofing Contractors ly challeng Limited (NFRC), London, England. It is used ing en vi herein with permission. Robbie Robinson
Robbie Robinson is the marketing manager of international metals specialist Luvata The geometry is driven by essential Sales OY (UK), which supplied the copper on this project. Further information on cop practical considerations such as the per roofing and cladding is available at www.luvata.com. Information on the European effects of wind and snow through the site. Copper in Architecture Awards can be found at www.copperinfo.co.uk/arch.
26 • INTERFACE F EBRUARY 2009