EPFL Learning Centre

(in English) EPFL Learning Centre (in French) Centre d'études de l'EPFL
Construction of the building (mid-2009).
Alternative names	(in English) Rolex Learning Centre (in French) Bibliothèque de l'EPFL
General information
Type	Library, workspaces, multi-purpose hall "Forum Rolex", café, food court, restaurant, offices, bookshop and parking
Location	Lausanne campus
Town or city	Écublens (1015 Lausanne)
Opened	22 February 2010
Inaugurated	27 May 2010
Cost	110 millions of Swiss francs
Owner	École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
Technical details
Floor count	1 basement + 1 main
Floor area	37,000 m2
Grounds	20,000 m2 (166.5 m × 121.5 m)
Design and construction
Architect	Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa (SANAA)
Known for	Innovative architecture: large one-room space, floor undulations and curved patios
Website
rolexlearningcenter.epfl.ch

The Rolex Learning Centre ("EPFL Learning Centre") is the campus hub and library for the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), in Lausanne, Switzerland. Designed by the winners of 2010 Pritzker Prize, Japanese-duo SANAA, it opened on 22 February 2010.

Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, partners of the Tokyo-based design firm SANAA, were selected as the lead architects in EPFL's international competition of December 2004. The team was selected among famous architects and even some Pritzker Prize Laureates such as Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Jean Nouvel, Herzog & de Meuron and Ábalos & Herreros.

The construction took place between 2007 and 2009. It cost 110 million Swiss francs and was funded by the Swiss government as well as by private sponsors (Rolex, Logitech, Bouygues Construction, Crédit Suisse, Nestlé, Novartis and ).

The building opened on 22 February 2010 and was inaugurated on 27 May 2010.

The main library, containing 500,000 printed works, is one of the largest scientific collections in Europe; four large study areas can accommodate 860 students with office space for over 100 EPFL and other employees; a multimedia library will give access to 10,000 online journals and 17,000 e-books, with advanced lending machines and systems for bibliographic search; a study centre for use by postgraduate researchers will provide access to the universityʼs major archive and research collection, and there are teaching areas including ten "bubbles" for seminars, group work and other meetings and a Language and Multimedia Centre and associated administration offices.