Key Takeaways
- Structure: Five-story building in red-pigmented reinforced concrete, completed in 2021.
- Design: Central atrium with spiraling circular voids, designed by studio Pezo von Ellrichshausen.
- Function: Research center dedicated to energy transition and the circular economy.
A red volume on the Concepción campus
The INES Innovation Center, on the Collao Campus of the Universidad del Bío-Bío in Concepción, Chile, has been operational since 2021. The building, designed by studio Pezo von Ellrichshausen, rises across five floors with a facade in bright red pigmented reinforced concrete.
A spiraling atrium breaks the square geometry
The rigidly square exterior floor plan contrasts with the interior. A central atrium features circular voids that narrow as they rise through the floors, creating a vortex-like effect. This configuration distributes open spaces for exhibitions and workshops alongside private offices placed at the building's corners, encouraging internal circulation between levels.
Research on energy transition and the circular economy
The center integrates solutions for energy efficiency and the use of renewable sources. Its internal scientific activity is focused on energy transition and the circular economy, with the building serving as a permanent base for applied research projects in these fields.
