Rolex Learning Center

EPFL Learning Center
EPFL Learning Center
Alternative names	Rolex Learning Center; Bibliothèque de l'EPFL
General information
Type	Library, workspaces, multi-purpose hall "Forum Rolex", café, food court, restaurant, offices, bookshop and parking
Location	Lausanne campus
Town or city	Écublens, Lausanne
Opened	22 February 2010
Inaugurated	27 May 2010
Cost	110 million CHF
Owner	École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
Technical details
Floor count	1 + basement
Floor area	37,000 m2
Grounds	20,000 m2 (166.5 m × 121.5 m)
Design and construction
Architect(s)	Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA)
Known for	Innovative architecture: large one-room space, floor undulations and curved patios
Website
	rolexlearningcenter.epfl.ch

The Rolex Learning Center is a public library and the main research library of EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Designed by the winners of 2010 Pritzker Prize, Japanese-duo SANAA, it was inaugurated on 22 February 2010.^[2]

History

Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, partners of the Tokyo-based design firm SANAA, were selected as the lead architects in EPFL's international competition in December 2004. The team was selected among famous architects, including Pritzker Prize Laureates such as Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Jean Nouvel, Herzog & de Meuron, Ábalos & Herreros and Xaveer De Geyter.

The construction took place between 2007 and 2009. It cost 110 million Swiss francs and was funded by the Swiss government as well as by private sponsors, Rolex, Logitech, Bouygues Construction, Crédit Suisse, Nestlé, Novartis and SICPA.^[1]

The building opened on 22 February 2010 and was inaugurated on 27 May 2010.^[1]

Library

The main library, containing 500,000 printed works, is one of the largest scientific collections in Europe; four large study areas can accommodate 860 students with office space for over 100 EPFL and other employees; a multimedia library will give access to 10,000 online journals and 17,000 e-books, with advanced lending machines and systems for bibliographic search; a study center for use by postgraduate researchers will provide access to the universityʼs major archive and research collection, and there are teaching areas including ten "bubbles" for seminars, group work and other meetings and a Language and Multimedia Center and associated administration offices.

Main functions

Interior of the building.

Multimedia library – 500,000+ volumes
Student workspaces – 860 seats
Multipurpose hall "Forum Rolex" – 600 seats
Café and bar – 53 seats + exterior
Food court – 128 seats + exterior
Restaurant – 80 seats
Career Center
Library staff office
EPFL Precious Book Collection
Student Association Office (AGEPoly)
Alumni department (EPFL Alumni)
Research Laboratory for Computer-Human Interaction in Learning and Instruction
Center for Digital Education - CEDE
Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes (EPFL Press)
Crédit suisse bank
Bookshop "La Fontaine"
Parking (500 places)

Events

The ministers of foreign affairs of France, Germany, the European Union, Iran, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as Chinese and Russian diplomats announcing the framework of a Comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme, in the "Forum Rolex" auditorium of the EPFL Learning Center (2 April 2015).

On 2 April 2015, the press conference of Federica Mogherini (High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs) and Mohammad Javad Zarif (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran) following the negotiations of the ministers of foreign affairs of the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, France, China, the European Union and Iran for a Comprehensive agreement on the Iranian nuclear programme (in the previous days at the Beau-Rivage Palace) was held in the Learning Center.^[3]^[4]

In popular culture

Part of the 2014 film Love Is the Perfect Crime was filmed at the EPFL Learning Center.^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Press kit of the EPFL Learning Center, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (page visited on 2 April 2015).
^ Architectural record: SANAA Designs Artificial Landscape, retrieved 11 March 2010
^ Julian Borger and Paul Lewis, "Iran nuclear deal: negotiators announce 'framework' agreement", The Guardian, Thursday 2 April 2015 (page visited on 2 April 2015).
^ (in French) Frédéric Koller, "Thriller diplomatique au Beau-Rivage Palace", Le Temps, Saturday 4 April 2015, page 5.
^ (in French) Antoine Duplan, "Le loup déguisé en prof de littérature", Le Temps, 22 January 2014, page 22.

External links

46°31′06″N 6°34′05″E / 46.51833°N 6.56806°E / 46.51833; 6.56806

[Press-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Press kit of the EPFL Learning Center, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (page visited on 2 April 2015).

[2] Architectural record: SANAA Designs Artificial Landscape, retrieved 11 March 2010

[3] Julian Borger and Paul Lewis, "Iran nuclear deal: negotiators announce 'framework' agreement", The Guardian, Thursday 2 April 2015 (page visited on 2 April 2015).

[4] (in French) Frédéric Koller, "Thriller diplomatique au Beau-Rivage Palace", Le Temps, Saturday 4 April 2015, page 5.

[5] (in French) Antoine Duplan, "Le loup déguisé en prof de littérature", Le Temps, 22 January 2014, page 22.

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