Gorlaeus Building Tour

The doors of the new Gorlaeus Building are officially open! With an additional lab wing, new lecture halls and offices, a library, a brasserie, and spaces for student associations, the building offers a vibrant and inspiring environment for research, study, and social interaction. Explore on your own and discover what this inspiring environment has to offer. Scan the various QR codes along the route through the building. We will start the tour at the faculty bar 'The Fusie'. The bar can be found at the ground flour, on your left hand side. Enjoy the tour!

De Fusie

De Fusie is the faculty bar for students and staff. Did you know that the name ‘De Fusie’, or ‘fusion' in English, has various meanings? For students, a 'fusie’ has an additional meaning; in Leiden student houses, it refers to a common space where students eat and relax together. A kind of living room actually.

De Fusie is open to all students and faculty staff every Thursday from 17.00 – 23.00 hrs. You can enjoy a glass of soda, as well as a beer or wine, and a snack. During other weekdays, the bar is open by request. Would you like to plan a drink, meeting or other activity at De Fusie? Please contact De Fusie via the contact person of your institute or study association at fusie@science.leidenuniv.nl.  

--> Now walk to the reception desk and look up at the beautiful piece of art The Cloud.

The Cloud

When you walk into the Gorlaeus Building, you will notice it immediately; the artwork 'The Cloud' hangs prominently in the hall and cannot be missed. Artist Jos Agasi designed it especially for this location. ‘Intuition, imagination and creativity. Scientists and artists have more in common than they think.’ Read more about the art work.

--> Now take the large stairs in the central hall to the first floor.

Lecture halls

The Gorlaeus Building features three large lecture halls; one large lecture hall for 180 people and two that each accommodate 100 people. You will find the halls opposite each other on the first floor.

And did you know that the large lecture hall is home to Einstein's sink? According to some stories, Einstein washed his hands there just once. Other stories suggest that students moved the object as a joke. Either way, Einstein's sink has held a mythical status among students and staff for decades.

--> Continue your way and turn left around the corner to the Science Library.

Science Library

The Science Library is situated at the ground flour and first floor of the building. The Science Library offers more than 120 study places, several of which are equipped with computer or laptop screens. There are also 7 collaboration rooms and a lounge area.

The Science Library's physical collection is organised according to the Library of Congress Classification and is arranged by subject. It consists of four collections with a total of 26,954 titles, covering approximately 800 metres of shelf space.

--> Follow the central hallway on the 1^ste floor to the Atrium. Here you'll find the next QR-code. 

NeCEN

In this hallway you can find the The Netherlands Centre for Electron Nanoscopy (NeCEN). NeCEN is one of the top the world's leading facilities for high-end electron microscopy research. The powerful electron microscopes of NeCEN are used to study disease processes at the biomolecular level, providing valuable insights for  future drug development. The methods used are suitable for a wide range of research applications that could lead to faster and better methods for understanding, diagnosing, curing and preventing disease at a molecular level.

--> Take the large stairs behind you to the fourth floor and turn right.

Exposome scan

The Exposome scan is a robot designed for large-scale analysis of substances in blood and urine . Established jointly by Leiden University and Utrecht University, this facility aims to detect diseases at an early stage. The Exposome scan is unique in the world and is currently exclusively for research purposes.

--> Take the stairs back to the first floor. Then walk down the wide staircase to the ground floor and turn right.

NMR

At the end of this corridor you can find the NMR facility (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) which makes it possible to analyse the composition of a substance using a magnetic field. It supports research  into the synthesis of paramagnetic molecules to find out more about the structure and dynamics of proteins. This knowledge could contribute to developing new drugs that  target specific proteins or for the development of vaccines. The facility is available for use by researchers at the LIC, as well as for collaboration with researchers from other universities and industry partners  interested in the structure of molecules.

--> This corridor also houses the measurement hall. Scroll down to learn more about this facility.

Measurement Hall

The measurement hall, with its 16 anti-vibration platforms, is one of the best in the world. It currently houses custom test setups used for groundbreaking research. Each platform has its own set of springs that almost entirely absorb every vibration. Furthermore, the lab suite is constructed separately  from the rest of the building to further  prevent vibrations. Without these measures, even the slightest vibration from a passing lorry on the A44 motorway could affect the experiments.

--> Walk back to the large stairs that brought you to the ground floor. Straight ahead you will find the FMD and the ELD.

FMD/ELD

The Fine Mechanical Department (FMD) and Electronic Department (ELD) are the places to go  for scientists and researchers with all their technical questions and requests. The FMD's instrument makers design and construct a wide variety of fine mechanical instruments. Designs usually start with a 3D design and the accuracies often reach  a fraction of a hair's breadth. 

The ELD designs and builds electrical equipment for our researchers. Accurate measurement and control at extremely low temperatures demands extensive knowledge and expertise. To achieve this level of accuracy, they put together very specific components that need to be precisely matched.

--> Walk back to the grand staircase that brought you to the ground floor. Go up to the 1st floor. At the top of the stairs, turn right. Halfway you will find the loft of the study association De Leidsche Flesch.

Study associations

In the Gorlaeus Building, the study associations are located at a central location; on the ground and first floors, behind De Fusie. The Chemisch Dispuut Leiden (CDL), Aesculapius, De Leidse Flesch and S.V. Life each have their own lofts here. Usually, a member of one of the boards is always present.

--> Continue your route on the 1^st floor and go down the large staircase in the main hall. Exit via the main entrance and turn right to the Gorlaeus bicycle parking.

Gorlaeus bicycle parking

In the Gorlaeus bicycle parking, employees and students can park their bikes, mopeds or scooters. There is space for nearly 3,000 bicycles.

The parking is built on the lower steel construction of the former Gorlaeus High-rise building.  Bicycle parking spaces are available in the basement and on the ground floor. On the first floor, an attractive roof garden with seating areas and a variety of plants will be created in spring 2025. The garden will feature climbing plants along the steel structure, with hammocks, picnic tables, rocking chairs, and grass on one side, and edible crops, perennial plants, and shrubs on the other. Adjacent to this, there will be a bee and butterfly garden. All these plants provide a sense of refuge and protection throughout the seasons.

--> This is the end of the Gorlaeus Building Tour.