© Benthem Crouwel Architects
Educational & Research Institutions

LAB42 UvA Amsterdam

Client

University of Amsterdam

Architect

Benthem Crouwel Architects

Contractor

Bouwcombinatie Visser Smit Bouw BV / Kropman Installatietechniek BV

Construction

Bouwadviesbureau Strackee

Technical installations advisor

Deerns

Floor space

12.000 m²

Project duration

2018 - 2022

LAB42, a new multifunctional university building for the University of Amsterdam’s Faculty of Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science (FNWI), is being built at the Amsterdam Science Park. The new faculty building will house two research institutes: a large part of the computer science facilities and the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center. Drees & Sommer (formerly BOAG) was appointed manager and supervisor “plus” during the development and implementation.

LAB42 will offer teaching spaces, study spaces, research spaces, work spaces and spaces for collaboration with other disciplines of the UvA and with external parties in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). LAB42 will be the international hub for talent development in the field of digital innovation and artificial intelligence (AI).  The building is the result of a collaboration between the UvA, the municipality of Amsterdam and the business community.  The aim is to stimulate meeting, knowledge sharing and cross-fertilization between scientists, students, industry and company by means of inviting facilities and co-creation, in order to provide answers to the IT and AI issues of tomorrow.  

The starting point for Benthem Crouwel Architects’ design was the implementation of an energy-neutral building: highly sustainable, partly through minimal use of materials. The building consists of a modular framework and a main structure of recycled and recyclable materials. The construction is easy to dismantle, making the building very flexible in daily use, but also future-proof and easy to adapt to changing requirements and developments. The many green spaces in the building and the natural ventilation ensure that LAB42 is a sustainable and healthy building with a comfortable indoor climate.

Throughout the project, the UvA strives for a very high quality and environmental performance: the ambition level is BREEAM-Excellent. This building of the future is scheduled to open in August of the 2022–2023 academic year.

Added value

Drees & Sommer is the contact and supervisor during the entire construction period. From the preliminary design stage onwards, we are involved in checking the documents, supervising the Supplier’s offer, negotiating optimizations and supervising the drafting of the working drawings. For management and supervision in particular, the BREEAM ambition means extremely careful communication with all stakeholders and meticulous monitoring of the agreements.

Individual services

  • management and supervision
  • advice and assistance with tenders
  • management of construction costs
  • management of contracts
  • project management
  • process management
© Benthem Crouwel Architects
© Benthem Crouwel Architects
© Drees & Sommer Netherlands
[Translate to English:] Status medio 2021
© Drees & Sommer Netherlands
[Translate to English:] Status medio 2021