MetaForum University of Technology Eindhoven

"Campus 2020", the innovation plan for the Eindhoven University of Technology, takes as its spatial bearer a central public area, onto which all faculties and the main facilities have their own front door. Prominent in, and partly on this "green carpet" is the so-called W-hall (Van Embden, 1959), the former technology hall of the faculty of Mechanical Engineering. This building will be transformed into the new facilities centre of the campus, with, among other things, the central university library, teaching areas, ICT support and catering facilities. Where the hall overlaps with the green carpet, this will be opened up to form a large covered square, which will be used for large-scaled gatherings.

The unique spatial qualities of the existing hall, such as the pleasant incidence of light through the "chessboard roof", will come into their own even more following the transformation.

Ingeniously concealed technology leaves the transparent and airy character of the building intact. As usual throughout the campus, the first floor forms the main traffic level, with a connection to footbridges to the surrounding buildings. From this level, it will soon be possible to make a spectacular descent into the library below, which is housed partly in a new basement (under the existing building!).