Biomedical Research Center Giessen

Campus Seltersberg
Justus-Liebig-University Giessen
Open competition 2003, 1st rank
Realisation 2005-2012

Laboratories S2-S3, radionuclide S2, L3, offices, electron microscopes, SPF animal facility, clean room, auditoriums, seminary rooms and training laboratories, CIP Cluster, Cafeteria
NIA 12.090 m2, GIA 27.714 m2

Client: State of Hesse, represented by Hessisches Baumanagement
Commissioned: urban plan of the campus, HOAI §15 LP 1-7, artistic site supervision

Project manager: WSPCBP, Frankfurt
Landscape architect: Topotek 1, Berlin
Supervision structure: HBM, Giessen
Supervision interior: IB Schmidt, Frankfurt
Supervision facade: IB Bader, Arnsberg
Structural engineer: Reichmann, Ehringshausen
Fire protection: Peter Stanek, Berlin
Animal facility: Dr. Burow, Hannover
Facade consultant: IB Rache, Aachen
physics / acoustics: IB Rahn, Berlin
Laboratory planners: Eretec, Gummersbach; Eurolabors, Kassel
HVAC: JMP, Stuttgart; ZWP, Köln
ELT: Müller Bleher, Radolfzell
Sanitary planning: ABI, Würzburg
Photos: Marcus Bredt, Berlin

Team: Christa Kleine (PM construction phase), Bela Schwier, Sebastian Nordmeyer, Jan Trutz, Susanne Glöckner, Mattias Svensson, Alexander Kuhnert, Stefan Brassel

Existing and future university buildings assemble arround a new hill. The research center occupies the busy corner at the intersection Schubertstrasse/Aulweg and initiates the step-by-step development of the campus. Based on the winning competition entry, a zoning plan was established.

On the ground floor, a passage lit by the central atrium links city and campus. Spaces open to the public as well as the controlled entrance to the research Institutes are accessible from here. An open passage between campus and hospital serves also as covered delivery zone for the animal facility, which is integrated into the topography. The research institutes are located around the atrium on the laboratory floors above.

The flexible structure of the plan allows for an easy exchange of offices and laboratories. It is interspersed with communicative zones which result from the interplay between organic form and rationally ordered content.

A color concept which assigns specific colors to the building fingers inside and outside provides orientation.

The scaled facade is clad with colored anodized aluminium. At the transitions between the fingers gradients of color and brightness mediate between the primary colors. The base is made of concrete blocks in profiled masonry.

Exposed Concrete, the strong colors of the core zones and an open installation characterize the interior of the building.

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