European Spallation Source (ESS)

In southern Sweden, the future of atomic science is under construction. Upon completion in 2023, the European Spallation Source (ESS) in Lund will act as a subatomic microscope: A powerful ion source will beam protons the laboratory’s 600 meter main corridor at 96 percent of the speed of light, smashing loose neutrons as they collide with a solid tungsten target disc. By studying these isolated neutrons, ESS researchers develop a deeper understanding of molecular structures that determine the material properties of our world.

Our design for the ESS emerges as a hybrid of aesthetic considerations and the exacting technical demands of cutting-edge atomic science. At its center is the Science Village, where science and the wider world collide – By integrating an open campus into the plan, the ESS becomes a social destination, inviting the larger community to take an interest in cutting-edge science. Developed and operated by a multinational European scientific coalition, the 74.2-hectare ESS site includes two core research facilities, a visitor’s center and a mixed-use residential and commercial neighborhood. The ESS delivers high-level research facilities in elegant, sustainable form – A future vision of architectural and scientific crossroads.