(BDT_09_064) Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Description

The Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology explores importance, variety, and properties of chemical signals controlling interrelations between organisms and their environment. The institute was established in Jena, a city with a significant scientific and industrial tradition. It is located at the northern edge of the ”Am Beutenberg” natural science campus that borders onto a nature reserve. Together with the adjacent Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry to the west, it marks the upper end of the terrain which steeply slopes towards the southern Saale River valley.

The differentiated complex consists of four three-storey building wings aligned along the entrance hall. This way, the structure is embedded harmoniously into the landscape and the sloping terrain can be experienced.

A private road takes the visitor from the entrance of the campus to the institute. Via an outside stair, which forms an integral part of the landscaped exterior, he is led to the main entrance.

The main idea of the design was to create a building supporting communication; this was achieved by providing perfectly linked work areas for multidisciplinary research. The connecting element of the different functional areas laid out on a comb scheme is the linear, about 90 m long hall. In terms of fire regulations it was defined as ”exterior space”; hence, an economical building of great spatial and design quality could be realised that offers visual connections towards interior and exterior spaces.

On the hillside, five scientific sections are located in four parallel buildings separated by courtyards. The eastern wing accommodates two sections that closely cooperate, while the three other wings house individual sections. The three-storey wings have double-loaded corridors with laboratories on one side and theoretical studies on the other side. Additional access is provided by interior staircases that are enhanced by skylights; in terms of fire regulations, these are not required. However, they reduce horizontal and vertical distances and provide a transparent, pleasant space that supports communication. Parallel to the hall, facing the valley, central and shared facilities such as a library, cafeteria, and seminar rooms are located. At basement level and practically concealed, areas for logistics and technical services as well as a delivery zone and further secondary spaces are to be found.

The Institute for Chemical Ecology shares facilities with the adjacent Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, which creates useful synergies. The lecture hall and guest apartments for both institutes are situated in the Institute for Biogeochemistry, while the other institute accommodates a shared library.

The four teeth of the comb containing the individual sections received a horizontally structured aluminium cladding. The solid appearance of these arctic-blue metal façades contrasts with the façade of the main building, which is dominated by a full height structure consisting of mechanically controlled glass louvers. This structure, which also structured horizontally, provides solar protection. Individual movable louvers have a transparent coating to create an iridescent appearance that changes from east to west from a cool blue to a warm red. In front of the main entrance, ground-recessed luminaires further reinforce this effect and highlight other components of the main façade: the glazing of the hall, and the clean architecture of the office wing.

Thoughtful use of colour on the interior of the hall gives each wing an ”address”. The exposed concrete walls of the individual entrances received differently coloured mineral glazing. The colours used are blue, green, yellow, and red; they were also used to accentuate particular areas throughout the interior. Otherwise, the colour pallet is rather neutral and reduced

As a result of the different requirements of the individual functional areas the building is equipped with a broad range of mechanical services. The institute sections comprise central service shafts and plant rooms on the roof and in the basement. In order to maximise flexibility and facilitate maintenance, the central service shafts are placed in the middle of the respective laboratory zones. Mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning systems that are expensive in terms of construction and maintenance are only installed where absolutely necessary due to health and safety regulations or out of scientific considerations. All systems comprise heat exchanger and cooling. Spaces with particularly high thermal output are equipped with supplementary air circulation cooling.

The institute combines two apparently contrary research lines under one roof. In one section, organic chemical synthesis is conducted in chemical laboratories that require an extraordinary number of air-extracts. Furthermore, the use of large amounts of solvents requires safety storage cabinets, special rooms for re-distillation and desiccation of solvents as well as the respective technical services. In other areas, biochemical and molecular biological laboratories are equipped with only one air-extract. Since the cell cultures in these laboratories have to be protected from contamination, work is conducted on sealed clean benches.

A greenhouse laboratory with optimal orientation is located east of the institute building. The scientists can dispose of a total of 17 climatic simulation chambers for plant testing at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40 degrees centigrade and a relative humidity of 30 to 95 percent. Individual chambers allow illumination of up to 100,000 Lux. The chambers are ventilated via 48 units with integrated heater/cooler. In order to protect the plants, the chambers use replacement ventilation by textile hoses. Between the individual chambers pressurised security gates prevent cross-contamination of the plants.