The Centre BTEK by study ACXT

was inaugurated last June 9 in Derio, common in the Spanish autonomous community of Basque Country, the BTEK – Interpretation Centre of Technology in the Technology Park of Bizkaia designed by Gonzalo Lopez Carro study ACXT.
BTEK, whose investment amounts to 11 million, aims to bring new technologies to young people – mainly students of secondary school – and to promote scientific and technological culture.

The building was designed as a milestone that emerges from the ground, a landmark in the landscape, and consists of two volumes pyramid seemingly separate, but, in fact, interconnected underground.

The first is a black book that emerges from the soil, heavier and closed three metal sides, whose roof is entirely made up of a series of solar panels. This commitment to clean energy and renewable is also applied to the rest of the geothermal plant, materials, content display, etc..
The second volume, in contrast to the first, consists of two facades of curtain walls and a roof of artificial grass that is born as an extension of natural soil and in plant, occupies the whole lot up to the limits of building. The roofs of underground connection, also of artificial turf, merging with the earth and the environment around them.

The entrance is through the first volume in the “fold” of a corner that marks the entrance to the building and the entrance ramp. As you descend a volume metal covers and welcomes the visitor who is within the area of reception, called “Desfiladero, throat, because of its narrow dimensions and 18 meters height space. The joints are accentuated by the narrowing of the route and the lowest ceiling height as it advances in the Centre.

The complex, which follows the slope, generates three floors. The connections between these consist of wide stairs and ramps that accompany the geometry and volume generating a sequential path and drawing different types of rooms to meet the potential exposures and possible content: from rooms with high ceilings in rooms of varying heights, with and no natural light, where you can grow up to sixteen meters high.