Final design for LabQ quantum building completed: construction to begin in 2027
A dedicated six-storey quantum building spanning 11,500 square metres: the final design for the new LabQ has been completed. The building will provide space for quantum research and education at the Science Park. If everything goes according to plan, researchers and students will be able to use the facilities from 2029 onwards.
Between the USC Universum sports centre and the relatively new AI building Lab42, on the site currently occupied by the beach volleyball courts, the UvA’s newest location is set to emerge: LabQ. The building will have six floors and cover more than 11,000 square metres, with a design entirely dedicated to quantum science. The final design for the building was completed last week.
The plans for LabQ stem from the growth of the Faculty of Science (FNWI), the ongoing shortage of space in Main Building 904, and the desire to expand the opportunities for quantum research at the University of Amsterdam. The new, purpose-built facility will house lecture theatres for UvA master’s programmes in quantum technology, office space for researchers – including those from the Dutch Research Centre for Quantum Software (QuSoft) – and specialised laboratories.
Vibration-free
Quantum research – put very simply, the study of extremely small particles, such as atoms and electrons, where the conventional laws of physics no longer apply – requires highly specialised laboratories. Sensitive quantum and laser setups can be disrupted by even the slightest movement. This means the laboratories must be completely vibration-free. To achieve this, architectural firm Cepezed has developed a design featuring a robust concrete core to house the laboratories.
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According to the architects, the remainder of the LabQ building will, wherever possible, be constructed using a lightweight timber structure. To offset its (high) energy consumption, the building will also feature more than 1,000 square metres of solar panels, incorporated into a pergola above the rooftop garden on the third floor and into the building’s façade. According to the university, the building has been designed to be energy-neutral.
Construction to begin in 2027
Under the current plans, construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2027. LabQ is expected to be completed in 2029, in time for the start of the 2029–30 academic year. Together with the planned renovations of Oudemanhuispoort and BG5 in the University Quarter, the project is one of the key developments outlined in the university’s accommodation plan, which the UvA presented earlier this year.
According to Richard Goldstein, Vice-President of the Executive Board, LabQ represents an important investment in the future of the UvA: “With this project, we are creating a place where students, researchers and partners can work together on new technologies that help society move forward.”
