Description

A changed environmental awareness and a new public understanding of sustainable consumption of energy for producing building material has triggered innovative research and developments in the field of construction chemicals and has opened up new possibilities for architects to realise their ideas and visions. In cooperation with engineers of different disciplines, Degussa Construction Chemicals GmbH has developed products for a more environmentally sound, energy efficient, and economical building practice. Under the slogan ”sustainability goes mainstream” this development increasingly becomes commonplace.

Trostberg in Upper Bavaria was chosen as the R&D hub of the company. The centre is located in close proximity to the Technical University Munich, which prompted the company to seek cooperation and to sponsor the university’s Chair for Construction Chemicals. The northern wing of the centre accommodates the facilities of this chair; the southern wing houses research areas of Degussa Construction Chemicals GmbH. The centre reinforces the position of the Trostberg location, creates attractive jobs, and strengthens the image of the corporation through its unconventional architecture. The exceptional shape of the centre creates a sense of identity and place which positively supports Degussa’s marketing strategy and corporate identity.

The research centre is located on the old Degussa premises south of Trostberg. The site is framed by the gardens of the former director’s building and the rail tracks along the little Alz River. The historic town centre borders onto the opposite side of the river. The architects wanted to retain the pleasant green space of the existing garden and positioned the new building at the northern edge of the premises. It stretches along the rail tracks and its orientation and façade design strongly relate to the historic town centre and the surrounding green spaces.

The building consists of a steel structure spanning 30 m; it is based on a primary structural grid of 7.2 m and an interior fit-out grid of 1.2 m. It received a highly insulating, fully glazed double-layered building skin with a u-value of 1.0. Under the skin, a ”research landscape” breaks new grounds both in terms of concept and architectural realisation. At its core is a multi-storey stepped structure that accommodates laboratories, offices, and secondary spaces. The decreasing levels allow optimal daylight and afford attractive views of the surrounding landscape and the town.

The building envelope enables a nearly Mediterranean indoor climate and green terraces with different plant themes on each level. On the higher levels, vegetation grows increasingly sparse, finally making way for an artificial desert. In contrast, the lower levels have been planted with Mediterranean and East Asian trees and shrubs. All year round, employees benefit from a pleasant indoor climate offering much daylight, ventilation, and transparency. The idea of green laboratory terraces is transferred to the outside and supplemented there through landscaped areas.

The building is accessed via two entrances on either side. Both entrances connect to a central foyer space, from which two corridors lead into each main direction. Two central stairs and a lift core provide vertical access; an additional escape route is presented through exterior escape stairs at the gable ends. This circulation system creates a clear plan layout that provides good orientation and reduces distances between the individual spaces.

A central, linear service zone clearly divides the building into two halves, a laboratory and a management area. The laboratories and service rooms are serviced via double installation walls connected to the plant rooms in the basement and on the top floors.

The sustainable concept of the premises is reflected in the mechanical engineering of the building. Openings at the lowest and highest level provide natural ventilation. The indoor vegetation positively affects the energy and moisture balance and reduces thermal gains and energy consumption. The terrace structure admits daylight into nearly all laboratory and office spaces. The building makes use of core cooling through building masses, fed by a buried duct. Overall energy consumption is reduced by heat exchangers and the use of passive energies such as wind, water, and light. Drain water is collected in troughs feeding a little ”creek” in front of the façade.

On the east façade, the solid central structure of the building turns into a lightweight post-and-beam façade with external solar protection. Exposed air exhaust ducts hint on the position of plant rooms and chemical laboratories. A two-storey box that juts out of the solid core marks the entrance on this side.

The composition of the façades of the gable ends reveals the interior layout. The interplay of views out of and into the building, the juxtaposition of introverted and extroverted spaces, the almost Mediterranean interior and the foothills of the Bavarian Alps outside create a singular place that regularly sets the stage for cultural events.

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Originally published in: Hardo Braun, Dieter Grömling, Research and Technology Buildings: A Design Manual, Birkhäuser, 2005.