Physics Institute with Cleanroom TU Chemnitz
CLIENT
State of Saxony represented by public enterprise SIB Chemnitz
PROGRAM
Cleanroom, laboratories, offices, seminar rooms
COSTS 24,000,000 € gross
GFA 10,950 sqm
RESULTS
1st Prize restricted competition by invitation,
service phases 2-8 HOAI
AWARD
Erlwein prize by the city of Dresden
Architecture prize by BDA of Saxony
2004-2008
With the Smart Systems Campus a promising technology park for micro-system technology was developed in Chemnitz. It combines renowned research institutions with the copetitive economy and can thus develop into an internationally recognized center of excellence. The new building of the Physics Institute is not only the urban link to the campus of the TU Chemnitz but also a functional one due to the trans-faculty collaboration. The sculptural building is primarily two-stories high and refers therefore to the relatively flat surrounding buildings. With its prominent five-story corner tower the building is not just an urban eye-catcher but also a consistent counterpart for the existing university buildings.
The new building complex holds both facilities for research and teaching, as well as a cleanroom for wafer processing of the Center For Microtechnology. The laboratories are arranged along the external façades. Offices and meeting rooms are grouped around two green inner courtyards and also have direct access to the courtyards on the ground floor. An open entrance situation, the atrium of the tower and many visual connections to the inner courtyards give the building a compelling atmosphere. The two open main staircases shape the circulation. The different colors in the hallways of the different floors – green is used in the basement, the ground floor is colored red, the upper floors are colored blue, yellow and magenta – emphasize the simple orientation within the institute.
The western part of the building that is accessible through a seperate entrance is visually integrated into the volume and contains the cleanroom with its lock gate and technical area. To ensure a vibration-free work at the highly sensitive microscopes, this area is founded independently and is also vibrationally decoupled from the rest of the building complex.
The façade design is made of horizontally layered, up to 8.80 m long concrete components that emphasize the linear structure and the monolithic character of the building. An appealing façade design is created by staggered joints and different sizes of the stone slabs in shimmering shades of grey, which is achieved by the addition of dark granite splitters or white cement. Horizontal ribbon windows with aluminium reveals and bright covering strips fit coherently into this structure. Only the entrances are perceivable as deep setbacks within the façade of the building. The top floor of the tower contains the technical installation. Its windowless façade gives the building a straight upper edge.
In order to create pleasant working conditions, even at summer temperatures, mainly passive measures such as an external sun protection and a sequent ventilation concept for natural night cooling were selected. The energy consumption is optimized by the high thermal storage masses of the internal components (concrete, screed) and the installation of efficient energy systems (coupling of ventilation with heat recovery). The building maintains the low-energy house standard.
The new building complex holds both facilities for research and teaching, as well as a cleanroom for wafer processing of the Center For Microtechnology. The laboratories are arranged along the external façades. Offices and meeting rooms are grouped around two green inner courtyards and also have direct access to the courtyards on the ground floor. An open entrance situation, the atrium of the tower and many visual connections to the inner courtyards give the building a compelling atmosphere. The two open main staircases shape the circulation. The different colors in the hallways of the different floors – green is used in the basement, the ground floor is colored red, the upper floors are colored blue, yellow and magenta – emphasize the simple orientation within the institute.
The western part of the building that is accessible through a seperate entrance is visually integrated into the volume and contains the cleanroom with its lock gate and technical area. To ensure a vibration-free work at the highly sensitive microscopes, this area is founded independently and is also vibrationally decoupled from the rest of the building complex.
The façade design is made of horizontally layered, up to 8.80 m long concrete components that emphasize the linear structure and the monolithic character of the building. An appealing façade design is created by staggered joints and different sizes of the stone slabs in shimmering shades of grey, which is achieved by the addition of dark granite splitters or white cement. Horizontal ribbon windows with aluminium reveals and bright covering strips fit coherently into this structure. Only the entrances are perceivable as deep setbacks within the façade of the building. The top floor of the tower contains the technical installation. Its windowless façade gives the building a straight upper edge.
In order to create pleasant working conditions, even at summer temperatures, mainly passive measures such as an external sun protection and a sequent ventilation concept for natural night cooling were selected. The energy consumption is optimized by the high thermal storage masses of the internal components (concrete, screed) and the installation of efficient energy systems (coupling of ventilation with heat recovery). The building maintains the low-energy house standard.
