Teaching and research buildings Universität Mainz

On the Medical Center campus of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, six modular teaching and research buildings are being constructed in three consecutive stages. The new buildings designed by HENN – Paul Klein Center for Immune Intervention (PKZI), Clinical-Theoretical Institutes (KTI), Neuroimaging Center (NIC), and Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON) – form a new on-campus research structure that enables scientists to conduct research in immediate proximity to hospital operations.

The buildings are home to different areas of research: The PKZI is dedicated to application-oriented basic immunological research, the KTI conducts research in the field of clinical-theoretical medicine, the NIC houses the platform for translational neurosciences, and the HI-TRON will be home to the Institute for Personalized Cancer Immunotherapy.

Glazed bridges interconnect all six modules, creating visual relationships with the surrounding green area extending into the spaces between the buildings. The continuous development on the first floor links the individual institutes to each other and encourages interdisciplinary exchange in central communication areas. Its comb-like structure makes the entire complex open up to the slightly sloping terrain and establishes a concise conclusion of the university hospital campus towards the south.

The architectural concept is designed to meet the requirements of state-of-the-art laboratory buildings. For the lab areas, laboratory landscapes are created on all floors, forming contiguous units within which it is possible to respond flexibly to changing workflows. In response to the natural lighting conditions, offices and administrative units are located on the north-facing side of the buildings, while the laboratories are concentrated on the south-facing side.

The different shades of gray of the façades and the varying heights of the individual buildings create a dynamic, eye-catching appearance. The inclined, set-back base breaks up the overall stringency of the cubes, while circumferential rows of variously sized windows articulate the façades and merge the buildings into a coherent whole.