Beautiful research center contains an indoor atrium

Safdie Architects oriented the Albert Einstein Education and Research Center (AEERC) in Sao Paolo, Brazil, around an indoor forest.

The AEERC project is meant to reflect Einstein’s interdisciplinary approach to education, research and healthcare delivery.

Meanwhile, the interior of the building is covered with a 3,800-square-meters glass roof shaped into three integrated structural domes.

The unique glass used for the dome also has minimal reflectivity to avoid disruptive exterior reflections.

The atrium garden forms the heart of the collaboration and learning spaces in the complex.

From there, the garden spills out toward the street level with a bamboo grove on the north and a palm grove on the south.

Additionally, locally-sourced woods, including Jequitiba and Jatoba wood, were used for the library.

The building is essentially a giant greenhouse surrounded by office space, classrooms, an auditorium, laboratories and simulation facilities meant to replicate exam rooms, clinics and operating rooms for training.