7 floors of stacked small flats for students surrounds an access atrium space, defined by a color scheme that changes from yellow to bright red at the top floors - in contrast to the stark concrete facings inside and out. The yellow access area is extracted to the exterior and the red is likewise exposed on the roof terraces. In the panoptical interior the changing of the colors are reflected in guards and railings.
The cubic form of the building is an integral part of the energy-efficient design. It ensures a very compact volume with the best possible views for all residents. By including the atrium in the body of the building and heating it to 20 °C a minimum surface area of the building is ensured and thus significantly less energy is used for heating.
The building is oriented with one corner facing south, thereby practically achieving two south facades and no direct north facade - this way the passive solar energy is used to its maximum and makes the largest possible contribution to the building.
Vulkanen received the 2015 International Architecture Awards for Residential Architecture from The Australian Institute of Architects International Chapter.
