- Henning
- Larsen
Image courtesy of Buro Happold
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.