Foundation stone laid for new chemistry building Building offers best conditions for research and teaching
The laying of the foundation stone on 10 October marked a decisive step for the new chemistry building at Technische Universität Braunschweig. In the presence of Niedersachsen’s Science Minister Falko Mohrs and TU President Angela Ittel, representatives from politics and future users celebrated the official start of the structural work for the 53 million euro research and teaching building. The new building will help to position chemistry at the TU Braunschweig for the future and provide scientists with the best possible conditions for their research and teaching.
The laying of the foundation stone for the new chemistry building marks an important step in overcoming the renovation backlog. The new building will replace the chemistry building on Hans-Sommer-Straße, which had to be vacated in 2017. It will reunite the departments of two chemistry institutes that were previously spread across more than ten locations on campus.
The new research and teaching building will be located in the immediate vicinity of the BRICS, the Braunschweig Centre for Systems Biology, and the House of Science. In addition to lecture halls, seminar rooms and student workplaces, the new building will provide office, laboratory and workshop space for over 100 employees of the two institutes of Technical Chemistry and Physical and Theoretical Chemistry. The Agnes Pockels Laboratory for school students will also move into the new building.
The new chemistry building is the first of three research and teaching buildings to be constructed at TU Braunschweig. The first measures for the new pharmaceutical building in Mendelssohnstraße have already begun. Civil engineering work on the new physics building in Hans-Sommer-Straße will begin early next year.
The new building, which is being constructed by TU Braunschweig’s building management company, takes into account the complex technical challenges of the chemistry institutes: for example, there are high demands on the availability of gases for the operation of test stands. Complex laser equipment is used to investigate molecular properties. This equipment sits on heavy, air-cushioned laser tables and places high demands on the load-bearing capacity of the laboratory floors.
Attractive study conditions
Students of chemistry and related subjects will benefit greatly from the new building. They will have access to newly designed, modern teaching and research laboratories equipped with the latest technology. In addition to a lecture hall for over 100 students, there will be several seminar rooms equipped with the latest media technology. The central location of the new building also ensures short distances to the other chemistry institutes on campus.
About the architecture
The architecture of the light grey clinker brick building is designed to promote openness and exchange. The new building provides short distances and a high quality working environment. A slight recess in the facade structures the new building. The western end of the building is dominated by the lecture hall.
Voices on the laying of the foundation stone
Falko Mohrs, Niedersachsen Minister for Science and Culture:
“Understanding chemical processes is a key to the future and of great importance for solving important technical and biological processes. Chemistry is not only of central importance for our scientific and economic location in its own right. It is also an important interface with other life sciences. This requires the best possible working and study conditions. The TU Braunschweig has an outstanding chemistry department, which is confirmed by excellent evaluations. I am very pleased that with this new building we will be able to significantly strengthen chemistry after a long transition period.”
Prof. Angela Ittel, President of TU Braunschweig:
“For us as a university, modern buildings that meet our needs are an important prerequisite in the competition for the best researchers and students. The laying of the foundation stone for the new chemistry building is an important step in the fight against the renovation backlog. The new chemistry building and the two other new buildings already in the planning stage will not only help to position our life sciences, which are such an important focus at TU Braunschweig and make an essential contribution to solving social problems, but also our pharmacy and physics in a future-oriented way and offer scientists the best conditions for their research and teaching.”
Cristina Antonelli-Ngameni, Mayor of the City of Braunschweig:
“The new chemistry research building for the Faculty of Life Sciences is a special architectural statement and a symbol of research, science and innovation in our city. I am particularly pleased that students and scientists now have the opportunity to learn, teach and work in one building. In the future, students and researchers in chemistry will use this building to develop their ideas and make decisive contributions to the challenges of our time.”
Prof. Christoph Jacob, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences:
“I am very pleased that this new building will replace the building at Hans-Sommer-Str. 10, which was closed in 2017. The new building will provide state-of-the-art laboratories and research infrastructure for around 100 scientists from the Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry and the Institute of Technical Chemistry, who are currently spread across more than ten locations. The new building – together with the planned new building for parts of the Department of Pharmacy – is an important step towards eliminating the huge backlog of renovation work in the Faculty of Life Sciences.”
Architect Dipl.-Ing. Lars Hidde:
“A university’s buildings not only fulfil a spatial programme and complex technical requirements. Above all, they should inspire, attract bright minds and provide a home for curiosity, innovation and collaboration; they should provide a setting for university life, exchange, splendour and excellence.”
Facts about the research building
Location: Konstantin-Uhde Straße, opposite BRICS
Building Contractor: The State of Niedersachsen, represented by the Niedersachsen Ministry of Science and Culture and Technische Universität Braunschweig.
Cost: 53 million euros, of which the state of Niedersachsen is contributing 33 million euros. The TU Braunschweig’s own contribution is 20 million euros. This amount includes 1.6 million euros for initial equipment.
Completion and occupation: Summer 2027
Area: approx. 4,700 m2 main floor space
Architect: HTP Hidde Architekten GmbH, Braunschweig
Users: The Institute of Technical Chemistry and the Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, chemistry students and the Agnes Pockels Laboratory for school students.
Energy efficiency: The building will be constructed to the KFW40 energy standard, the highest energy standard for new buildings.