Sanup University

A research facility devoted to the exploration of nanotechnology, the Seoul National University of Technology (SNUT), is intended to play a fundamental role in the expansion of both the University and of the surrounding Technopark. The multi-faceted and strongly vertical massing of the 250,000 sf building is inspired by images of nanotechnology, including two- and three-dimensional representations of nanotubes, nanochains, semiconductors, and molecular blocks. Located on a hill, the building establishes a strong visual termination point for the campus. A landscaped plaza buffers the “Smart-House” from a neighboring laboratory building. Lower levels house public amenities, with a main lobby serving as both entry and prefunction space for an auditorium and multipurpose rooms. A dedicated level of conferencing space in the tower gives the complex a prominent signature presence. On the upper levels, laboratories are designed as clustered, flexible modules for ease of adaptation. Situated at the site’s westernmost point, a nanotech fabrication facility is isolated from the vibrations of a nearby roadway.