Vortex, New student housing accommodation, Lausanne VD
In order to satisfy the ever-increasing demand for university student accommodation, L'Etat de Vaud is launching a project to construct a new building on this campus. Thanks to its imposing scale, the project is an extension of the campus of the University of Lausanne and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
The planning was carried out in BIM and the project was a prize-winner at the Building Smart Awards ceremony in Tokyo in 2018.
The special feature of the cylindrical building is its 2.8 km spiral ramp, connecting the eight levels and allowing access to all the apartments in the complex. This ramp with a slope of less than 1% is the founding element of this new social unit.
A unique and communicative place is provided on campus. The common path and the spiral design encourage a unique sense of belonging, social contacts, exchanges and a form of solidarity.
| Contact person | Vincent Wolfensberger |
| Client | Caisse de Pension de l'Etat de Vaud |
| Architect | Itten+Brechbühl AG; Dürig Architekten |
| Start of construction | 2017 |
| Start of operations | 2019 |
| Floor space | 36 700 m2 |
| Construction volume | 116 300 m3 |
| Photos | Fernando Guerra, Lisbon |