Internet Exchange Marseille

Internet as a global operating communication infrastructure connects people and machines around the world and enables completely new forms of interaction. Athough the Internet seems to work virtually without limits on a global macro level it still has concrete, tangible effects on the local micro level.

In my master thesis I’m dealing with the issue of this omnipresent global communication-infrastructure. For this purpose I have designed a Colocation Center in Marseille - a server building where customers can store their own servers in an appropriate environment and where they have the possibility to connect their servers and networks with those of others. As a landing point of continental and transoceanic communication cables and data cables Marseille is the essential interface between the European continent and the African and Asian continent. The building site is situated in the area of the urban renewal project Euroméditerranée next to the harbour.\nEssential aspects of the design are how to deal with the worldwide ambivalence of contemporary cities with which server buildings as a part of the backstage or logistic landscape are confronted. On the one hand these buildings are often seen as an unattractive counterpoint to an attractive city, on the other hand these infrastructures are nowadays simply necessary to make a city economically competitive and attractive to people. How do you deal with these two parallel worlds, urban life outside and digital processes inside? How do you design a building primarily for machines only? How can you offer an efficient and also long-term flexible option for the accomodation of technical equipment? How do you choose materials? How do you deal with the typological safety requirements considering the urban environment? How can you offer a proactive handling of energy in a sustainable way? How can such buildings become a natural feature in an urban area and as common as the technology they provide and we use every day?\nThe design consists of an ensemble of two buildings. One building for IT (process). One building for administration (life).