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Located near Amsterdam UMC, One Helix is a 6,515 m² building designed by UNStudio and developed by Breakthrough Properties for AstraZeneca. Bringing together advanced laboratories, offices and shared amenities, the project explores new ways of integrating scientific research, occupant wellbeing and environmental sustainability. At the heart of this vision is the solar shading system developed with i-Mesh, where material innovation and environmental control become integral to the building's architectural identity.
Conceived with the ambition of achieving a net energy-positive balance, One Helix aims to exceed Nearly Zero-Energy Building (NZEB) requirements. The project adopts a whole-lifecycle approach to building performance, addressing operational energy, embodied carbon, material efficiency and future adaptability as interconnected priorities. The result is a high-performance workplace designed to meet the technical demands of scientific research without compromising architectural quality.
At One Helix, the facade is conceived not simply as an envelope, but as an active component in defining the building's environmental performance. Laboratories and offices require precise daylight control, stable indoor conditions and protection against excessive solar heat gain. These requirements informed the development of the external shading elements, designed in response to building orientation, solar exposure and wind loads.
Developed in collaboration with UNS, the i-Mesh system translates these performance parameters into a bespoke architectural solution. Daylight and sunlight studies, helped define the geometry and permeability of the screens, balancing solar protection, transparency and natural light.
By reducing direct solar radiation before it reaches the glazed facade, the system helps limit thermal loads and improve visual comfort in both laboratory and office spaces. Its integration with the building's wider environmental strategy reinforces the relationship between facade design and reduced energy demand.
The shading elements are made from Fiberglass and Volcano, materials suited to lightweight, high-performance architectural applications. The bespoke woven pattern establishes a carefully calibrated relationship between openness, visibility and solar protection.
The shading system was developed to meet specific performance tolerances. Its design was calibrated in response to the environmental conditions and architectural requirements of the project, creating a facade that combines technical precision with a distinctive visual identity. Solar shading thus moves beyond the role of a secondary building component to become a defining element of the architectural expression.
The manufacturing process perfectly reflects the same design philosophy. Produced through a zero-waste methodology, the elements demonstrate how advanced manufacturing can support bespoke architectural solutions while reducing production waste. Both the material configuration and the woven pattern are developed in response to the specific characteristics of the building, rather than being limited to standardized modules.
One Helix's performance results from the close integration of its facade, structure and building services. The i-Mesh shading system works alongside passive cooling strategies, high-efficiency air systems with energy recovery, heat exchange systems, thermal energy storage and photovoltaic panels integrated into the facade.
Together, these measures help reduce operational energy demand while maintaining appropriate environmental conditions for research activities and everyday work. The external shading elements play a specific role in this balance: by controlling solar exposure at the building envelope, they support the management of natural light and thermal comfort while helping reduce cooling demand.
The project illustrates a fundamental principle of contemporary sustainable architecture: environmental performance is most effective when it informs design decisions from the earliest stages, rather than being introduced as an additional technical layer once the architectural concept has already been established.
One Helix's sustainability strategy extends beyond operational energy consumption. Through life cycle assessment (LCA) and careful material optimization, the project team reduced embodied carbon to less than half the typical level for comparable buildings in the Netherlands. A hybrid structure combining low-carbon concrete and steel, together with demountable components and resource-efficiency measures, supports a construction approach focused on reducing environmental impact and enabling future adaptation.
The building also incorporates a green roof and rainwater retention systems, contributing to biodiversity, climate resilience and the mitigation of urban heat island effects. The project has achieved BREEAM Outstanding and NZEB certifications, reflecting the coordinated approach to architecture, material selection and building services.
Within this framework, i-Mesh demonstrates how a shading solution can contribute simultaneously to environmental performance and architectural quality. Its tailor-made geometry, lightweight construction and precise manufacturing process respond to the project's technical requirements while preserving its architectural ambition.
One Helix offers a compelling example of how architectural textile systems can contribute to a new generation of high-performance buildings. Through the integration of i-Mesh into the facade strategy, UNS brings together solar control, material innovation and architectural expression within a unified design approach.
The project demonstrates that sustainability is not defined by individual technologies alone, but by the ability to make materials, systems and spatial qualities work together. At One Helix, i-Mesh shading functions both as an environmental control device and as a distinctive element of the building's identity, highlighting the potential of engineered textile surfaces to shape the evolution of contemporary architectural envelopes.
