The European Investment Bank (EIB) in Luxembourg is one of the world’s largest public lending institutions. It recognises environmental sustainability as a “core priority” and, from the very outset, the present extension was meant not only to create space for an extra 750 staff members but also to be a role model in the field of construction. In 2002, 10 multidisciplinary teams were invited to participate in the design competition that placed particular emphasis on the responsible treatment of natural resources, high environmental standards and energy efficiency. The building was ready for occupation in summer 2008.
The scheme that was implemented, by Christoph Ingenhoven, Werner Sobek and HL Technik, proposed a compact tubular glass volume set into the gently sloping site. Beneath this enclosure are zigzagging, six-to-nine storey high, office wings linked by bridges and a connecting route on the north side. Along the north face, the V-shaped spaces between the office strips form unheated “winter gardens”, and the curving facade extends down to the ground. The triangular south-facing spaces, in contrast, were designed as column-free atria with moderate temperature control and a vertical double-skin outer facade. Both the heated and unheated atria function as insulating enclosures that regulate the indoor climate.
The scheme that was implemented, by Christoph Ingenhoven, Werner Sobek and HL Technik, proposed a compact tubular glass volume set into the gently sloping site. Beneath this enclosure are zigzagging, six-to-nine storey high, office wings linked by bridges and a connecting route on the north side. Along the north face, the V-shaped spaces between the office strips form unheated “winter gardens”, and the curving facade extends down to the ground. The triangular south-facing spaces, in contrast, were designed as column-free atria with moderate temperature control and a vertical double-skin outer facade. Both the heated and unheated atria function as insulating enclosures that regulate the indoor climate.