The FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics (AMOLF) is a laboratory building for elementary physical research and is located on the edge of the Amsterdam Science Park. The building consists of three floors and contains flexibly dividable laboratories, offices, workstations and support rooms. The central building section houses the laboratories and is flanked by two building sections that contain (amongst other things) offices and a high-precision workshop. An atrium connects the building sections. A storey with technical facilities is located between the two storeys containing the laboratories.
Vibrations
Peutz has created a low-vibration design for the floors of the research areas. Because of the nature of research and experiments in the institute, conducting measurements on a nanoscale, the laboratories have to meet extremely high levels of vibrational stability. This was achieved by creating a heavy, rigid and detached structure.
On the ground floor, 21 separate modules of approximately 6x7 m. were realised. These modules each have a separately founded floor, which in itself is kept detached from the soil. The piles of the floor have been placed diagonally, in order to achieve a sufficiently rigid construction on the horizontal plane and to be able to provide enough resistance against any horizontal force.
Acoustics and building physics
Concrete core temperature control is being applied throughout the building, except for the laboratories (combined with natural inflow and mechanical outflow of air). To facilitate the transfer of heat and cold between the active concrete deck and the different spaces, there is no (completely) suspended ceiling. Sound-absorbing walls or baffles have been applied, in order to still achieve good room acoustics in the different spaces that each have specific acoustic demands of their own.