Better known for its enigmatic faded grandeur, Cuba has built a thriving biotech industry which supports their admirable national health system and supplies low cost pharmaceuticals to developing countries. Fidel Castro’s eldest son, ‘Fidelito’ Castro Díaz-Balart, who tragically passed away in 2018, was a widely respected scientist and a driving force behind this success.

 

In his later years, Castro Díaz-Balart conceived the Centre for Advanced Studies, a 14 hectare campus on the outskirts of Havana for 300 researchers. The aim was to advance Cuban biotech using nanotechnology. After seeing the Mountbatten Building in Southampton, he briefed two new buildings: an iconic communal hub forming the centrepiece of the campus, and next door an advanced research facility housing bionanotechnology cleanrooms.

 

Responding to the tropical climate, the hub’s oversailing roof offers shade during dry months and shelter in the wet season, like the brim of a hat. Downpours cascade dramatically into a reflective pool below, generating evaporative cooling and recycled greywater. A sculptural ceramic tiled cone housing an auditorium breaks through this canopy, creating a landmark seen from afar across this flat landscape. Partly enclosed by a rendered crescent wing, a naturally ventilated double height entrance foyer and café forms a gathering place for scientific exchange.

 

In deference to its neighbour, the research building is clad in a muted palette of render, tiles and aluminium. A covered walkway leads from the hub building across a planted courtyard to a shaded glazed corridor with views into the prefabricated cleanrooms, showcasing the progressive research within.