Segai Research Centre

The SEGAI Research Support Services Building building at the University of La Laguna is intended to act as a centralized location for the support laboratories used in a range of research programs, thereby allowing for the use of specialized scientific and technical equipment. The building is situated on the edge of the University campus and is adjacent to a number of tended fields; the challenge here is not only to manifest its nature as a public building, but also to define a landscape intervention strategy for integrating it into the structure of the immediately surrounding farmland. The proposal sets out a flexible, modular organization based on standard laboratory units for use in the technical workspaces, while a special status is given to the administrative and reception areas. The part of the building that houses the building’s administration and University offices is raised above the rest and is thereby converted into a point of reference for the network of public spaces on the campus, while at the same time offering continuity with the surrounding open farmland via the large plaza situated at the building’s entrance. One level down, and built using a stepped structure in direct reference to the nearby terraced fields, is the area housing the laboratories and general services. The perimeter ring used for circulation and the linear patios built below ground level define the building’s internal landscape and highlight the fact that this space is reserved for research. The perimeter ring acts as a filter between the interior and exterior while isolating the laboratories in a comfort zone of constant humidity and temperature. Also, the building’s semi-submerged distribution uses the existing land mass for passive insulation purposes, while the green roofs can be seen as a natural extension of the terraced farmland.