Pheano Science Center

Location: Wolfsburg, Germany

Program: Science Center
Area: 13,000 m²
Floors: 4 levels
Year: 2005
Architect: Zaha Hadid

The building’s form is designed to be continuous. The site itself is a rolling

artificial landscape that merges into the cones, where Zaha continues to play
with the idea of the “urban carpet” by extending it into the surface of the
building. The base of the building are its large cones that lifts the monumental
building above grade. These cones are separated by axial penetrations that
creates open plaza spaces below the building. These axial openings are also
creates visual movement under and past the building which dissolves the scale
of the building .

Program Zoning Analysis

Total Building Area

(sq. meter)
9000 Public Space
2000 Private Space
1600 other (circulation/bathroom)
12600 Underground parking garages
25200 TOTAL

Public and Private Area

(sq. meter)
7000 Exhibition
560 Auditorium
382 Gift Shop
376 Catering Area
290 Restaurant
149 Bistro
32 Coffee Bar
304 Kitchen
218 Laboratory
1500 Administration
3
Section

Public and Private Area (Excluding Underground Parking) General Total Building Area

4
 `
Elevations

Luminous Glass Luminous Glass

Northern Elevation

Southern Elevation

Outside View Showing the façade openings Interior View showing the lights projections

The elevation is modern, deconstructive, and have openings covered with luminous glass to make the light reach
the interior and make spectacular light gradiants.

Structure
The Phaeno Science Center uses
a variety of Structural systems with
only a few different materials. The
majority of the building is built of
reinforced Self Compacting Concrete,
the primary exceptions being the
Phaeno Structural Cones
Roof Truss system and the supports for
it along the exterior wall.
The 10 cones which run
through the building are the primary
and in fact only real structural support
for the entire building, as all
loads are traced back to these
cones. Each cone is unique, their
irregular shapes are all different
and their interconnection with the
Concourse level manifests in different 5 Connection between waffle slab and Cone
ways.
Her Philosophy:
combination of the vulture, identity of
Iraq and the new thoughts, architectural
and artistic schools like Suprematism,
Deconstructivism, and Fluidity of Arabic
Calligraphy. Her early projects reflected
Deconstructivism, a non-Derridean
philosophy which is based on ideas from
various sources like Suprematism,
Constructivism, Parametric architecture
or nature to create a sculptural image. Zaha Hadid (1950 - 2016)
Keywords: Suprematism, Deconstructivism,

Design Approach: Abstraction, Fragmentation.

Form notions were inspired from

the site, nature and phenomenological events,
art, architecture and computing programs.
1. Site: The ideas of the form were related to
the land-form, skyline, neighborhoods, circu-
lation, road, history of the city,
political events, etc
2. Nature and Phenomenological events:
Form inspirations were from topography, Suprematist painting by Zaha Hadid
contours, sand dunes, sea creatures, living
organisms, etc
3. Art: Creativity idea was taken from Suprematism, Arabic
calligraphy, Chinese painting, integration of architecture into
Landscape.
4. Architecture: Influenced by the architectural works of
YakovChernikov, Mies van der Rohe, F.L. Wright, Oscar Niemeyer, Russian
Constructivism, Chinese traditional architecture.
Design Techniques:
1. Abstraction and Fragmentation.
2. Idea of the Ground and Gravity.
3. Landscaping the surrounding.
4. Layering.
5. Play of light.
6. Seamlessness and Fluidity. 2 Peak Block elements - painting
Phaeno Science Center by Zaha Hadid

Program: Mainstream
Course Code: ARC321s
Course Name: Theory and
Philosophy of Contemporary
Architecture
Name: Mohamed Hany
Mohamed Azab
ID: 1805381
Ain Shams University
Faculty of Engineering
Department of architecture
Fall Semester – 2022