The commencement of construction was celebrated entirely in line with the innovative character of LAB42, with a homemade deepfake video next to the robot [link to video]. The viewers could also walk through the building on a VR tour. The Executive Board, the municipality of Amsterdam and the architect and interior architect have shared their vision on the LAB42 concept.

International talent hub

LAB42 will become the international hub for talent development in digital innovation and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The building is created through a collaboration between the UvA, the municipality of Amsterdam and the business community. The goal of LAB42 - through co-creation - is to find answers to the IT and AI questions of tomorrow. The number 42 in the name refers to the answer to the ultimate question about life, the universe and everything.

Sustainable and circular

The design of LAB42 is sustainable, circular and energy neutral. Among other things, rainwater will be collected for flushing the toilets, solar collectors and smart cooling of the server rooms. The frame of the building consists of a steel skeleton that can be completely disassembled, just like the floor parts, partition walls and the facade. Reusable parts are used as much as possible, so that the building is built in a circular manner.

Construction

The building was designed by Benthem Crouwel Architects to promote interaction and collaboration. There will be catering facilities in the atrium, teaching and lecture halls on the first and second floors, and meeting rooms, offices for small businesses and lounge areas for meeting on the third floor.