Zaha Hadid Architects Phaeno Science Center

Zaha Hadid Architects
Phaeno Science Center
Wolfsburg, Germany

“To create an urban field on the ground, with an object above, was a rare opportunity for us.”
Zaha Hadid

Photo @Thomas Mayer

Located in the center of Wolfsburg, on the ICE rail line, the Science Center is set both as the endpoint of a chain of important cultural buildings, by Aalto, Scharoun and Schweger, and as a connecting link to the north bank of the Mittelland Kanal - the Volkswagen plant and the Autostadt.

Photo @Thomas Mayer

The main volume of the building, raised high above the ground on a series of concrete cones, maintains a large degree of transparent and porosity on the ground.
The area beneath it becomes a new kind of urban space, a covered artificial landscape with gently undulating hills and valleys, extending out into the surrounding area.

Photo @Thomas Mayer

Functional spaces like the museum entrance, where an escalator takes visitors to the main level, the bookstore, and a theater are located in the concrete cones.

Photo @Thomas Mayer

Multiple threads of pedestrian and vehicular movement are pulled through the site, both through the artificial ground landscape and inside and through the building, composing an interface of movement-paths. This constructional interweaving creates a uniquely close bond between the city and the building.

Photo @Thomas Mayer

A glazed wormhole-like extension of the existing bridge flows through the building allowing views to and from the exhibition space.

Photo @Thomas Mayer

In the main gallery space Hadid has created an artificial crater-like landscape allowing diagonal views to the different levels of the exhibition-scape, while volumes, which protrude, accommodate other functions. The cones become craters creating a link between the exterior and the mysterious dynamic landscape within.

Photo @Thomas Mayer

The object of Phaeno is to open up new approaches to the world of natural science and technology, to reawaken the desire for making discoveries of one's own. The architecture involves the visitors, immediately absorbs them into an almost vibrating interior, which again and again creates surprising perspectives and unexpected relationships.

Sketch courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects

Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects

Phaeno is the largest building constructed from "self-compacting concrete" (SCC) to date in Europe. Without this new type of concrete the diverse forms of Phaeno would have been difficult to achieve.

Total area:12, 631 square meters
Completed: 2005

Zaha Hadid speaks at the opening
Vernissage-TV

Photographed by Thomas Mayer

Client: City of Wolfsburg Ministry of Culture and Sport
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects
Project Architect: Christos Passas
Project Team:
Sara Klomps
Gernot Finselbach
Helmut Kinzler
David Salazar
Gunter Barczik
Silvia Forlati
Kenneth Bostock
Enrico Kleinke
Liam Young
Lida Charsouli
Barbara Kuit
Patrick Schumacher
Markus Dochantschi

Associate Architects:
Mayer Baehrle Freie Architekten BDA
Project Architect: Christos Passas
Structural Engineers:
Adams Kara Taylor, London, UK
Tokarz Freirichs Leipold, Hanover, Germany
Services Engineers:
NEK, Braunschweig, Germany
Buro Happold, London, UK

Phaeno Science Center

Zaha Hadid Architects arcspace features

March 3, 2005





				Features
		Zaha Hadid Architects Phaeno Science Center Wolfsburg, Germany “To create an urban field on the ground, with an object above, was a rare opportunity for us.” Zaha Hadid Photo @Thomas Mayer Located in the center of Wolfsburg, on the ICE rail line, the Science Center is set both as the endpoint of a chain of important cultural buildings, by Aalto, Scharoun and Schweger, and as a connecting link to the north bank of the Mittelland Kanal - the Volkswagen plant and the Autostadt. Photo @Thomas Mayer Photo @Thomas Mayer The main volume of the building, raised high above the ground on a series of concrete cones, maintains a large degree of transparent and porosity on the ground. The area beneath it becomes a new kind of urban space, a covered artificial landscape with gently undulating hills and valleys, extending out into the surrounding area. Photo @Thomas Mayer Functional spaces like the museum entrance, where an escalator takes visitors to the main level, the bookstore, and a theater are located in the concrete cones. Photo @Thomas Mayer Photo @Thomas Mayer Multiple threads of pedestrian and vehicular movement are pulled through the site, both through the artificial ground landscape and inside and through the building, composing an interface of movement-paths. This constructional interweaving creates a uniquely close bond between the city and the building. Photo @Thomas Mayer Photo @Thomas Mayer Photo @Thomas Mayer Photo @Thomas Mayer A glazed wormhole-like extension of the existing bridge flows through the building allowing views to and from the exhibition space. Photo @Thomas Mayer In the main gallery space Hadid has created an artificial crater-like landscape allowing diagonal views to the different levels of the exhibition-scape, while volumes, which protrude, accommodate other functions. The cones become craters creating a link between the exterior and the mysterious dynamic landscape within. Photo @Thomas Mayer Photo @Thomas Mayer Photo @Thomas Mayer Photo @Thomas Mayer Photo @Thomas Mayer The object of Phaeno is to open up new approaches to the world of natural science and technology, to reawaken the desire for making discoveries of one's own. The architecture involves the visitors, immediately absorbs them into an almost vibrating interior, which again and again creates surprising perspectives and unexpected relationships. Sketch courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects Drawing courtesy Zaha Hadid Architects Phaeno is the largest building constructed from "self-compacting concrete" (SCC) to date in Europe. Without this new type of concrete the diverse forms of Phaeno would have been difficult to achieve. Total area:12, 631 square meters Completed: 2005 Zaha Hadid speaks at the opening Vernissage-TV Photographed by Thomas Mayer Client: City of Wolfsburg Ministry of Culture and Sport Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects Project Architect: Christos Passas Project Team: Sara Klomps Gernot Finselbach Helmut Kinzler David Salazar Gunter Barczik Silvia Forlati Kenneth Bostock Enrico Kleinke Liam Young Lida Charsouli Barbara Kuit Patrick Schumacher Markus Dochantschi Associate Architects: Mayer Baehrle Freie Architekten BDA Project Architect: Christos Passas Structural Engineers: Adams Kara Taylor, London, UK Tokarz Freirichs Leipold, Hanover, Germany Services Engineers: NEK, Braunschweig, Germany Buro Happold, London, UK Phaeno Science Center Zaha Hadid Architects arcspace features March 3, 2005