Out of the 12 teams invited to the competition, four were selected for the subsequent intensive collaborative process with the project's stakeholders. Subsequently, EFFEKT and A2M Architects were appointed as the winning team by a unanimous panel of judges.
The "Health And Lifescience Innovation Campus" (HE:AL Campus) in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg, is set to house start-ups and companies working in digital health and health tech, including medical equipment, in vitro diagnostics, and research.
The ambition with the project is to move towards a regenerative campus as quickly as possible - a journey that will require continuous learning and improvement over the next decade. Thus, HE:AL Campus is not only for research, but also aims to serve as a research project in itself, with the goal of creating an urban development project that regenerates resources rather than depleting them.
A campus driven by regenerative landscape planning
Under the heading "Towards a Regenerative Campus," the masterplan proposes to minimize asphalt roads, maximize green spaces, and create a campus that is deeply integrated with nature, turning everyday life on the campus into an experience. The project is a crucial part of the city's efforts to strengthen green and blue connections and regenerate fauna and flora along the river landscapes of Dipbech and Alzette.
The regeneration of nature at the site will be a fundamental driver for the new HE:AL campus that addresses the biodiversity and climate crises through climate adaptation, water management, and planting strategies. The idea is to increase the biofactor by creating a mosaic of habitats for plants and animals. New nature environments, such as dry meadows, varied forests, wildflower meadows, wetlands, corridors of birch and cherry trees, hedges, and bushes, will result in a self-sustaining forest garden with rich biodiversity.
Existing buildings, infrastructure, and resources will be reused and transformed, ensuring that the new campus is deeply connected to its surroundings. New buildings will be designed using passive house principles and parametric modeling with a focus on CO2 reduction, energy efficiency, and a healthy indoor environment. Modular flexibility will enable the buildings to adapt and evolve with changing needs and technologies.
A lively and inviting place for everyone
The entire campus is designed around a social infrastructure that carefully connects the area with the surrounding neighborhoods. Additionally, the idea is to activate ground floors so that the indoor and outdoor programs promote a sense of ownership and community. Several shared facilities (eateries, visitor centers, fitness centers, auditoriums, and exhibition areas) and public recreational spaces will be strategically located to create a lively and inviting place for everyone.
The campus area will be located between a hub for biotech and health tech companies, the House of BioHealth, the upcoming super hospital Hospital Center Emile Mayrisch (CHEM), and the university area Cité des Sciences in Belval to ensure geographical proximity between research, innovation, and the world of health and medicine — key partners in the health tech ecosystem.