University Senate Center

University Senate Center
© Ardon Bar Hama

UNIVERSITY SENATE CENTER

Chyutin Architects

CATEGORY
University

ARCHITECTS
Chyutin Architects

LOCATION
Israel

AREA
6000.0 m2

Text description provided by architect.

The Senate Center complex at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev serves as the university’s administrative center. It contains an office building, the Senate Hall, and an exhibition space.

University Senate Center
© Ardon Bar Hama
University Senate Center
© Ardon Bar Hama

The office building, which faces the campus’s main entrance plaza, on the main lengthwise pedestrian axis, is shaped like a monolithic cube with sandstone cladding, and encloses a circular inner courtyard.

The main entrance to the plaza and to the complex is designed like a cleft carved into the rock of a canyon.

University Senate Center
© Ardon Bar Hama
University Senate Center
© Ardon Bar Hama
University Senate Center
© Ardon Bar Hama

The courtyard is closed towards the desert, and constitutes an inner world that is protected against the winds and shaded from the sun.

The use of an inner courtyard is a characteristic element of residential and public buildings in the Mediterranean and desert regions.

University Senate Center
© Ardon Bar Hama
University Senate Center
© Ardon Bar Hama
University Senate Center
© Ardon Bar Hama

The Senate Hall is shaped like an inclined cone, cladded with sandstone bricks, and stands apart, several meters in front of the main building, thus creating a tension between them.


University Senate Center
Entrance Floor Plan
University Senate Center
Basement Floor Plan
University Senate Center
1st Floor Plan


University Senate Center
Elevation

University Senate Center
Section
University Senate Center
Drawing