Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology

To strengthen ties between science and industry, a new home for the Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP is taking shape adjacent to Roche’s Diagnostics Innovation Center in Penzberg, Germany. The new building brings together expertise in Immunology, Infection and Pandemic Research (IIP), providing state-of-the-art laboratory and office space.

Fraunhofer ITMP aims to efficiently translate findings from leading medical research into market-ready products. Its close proximity to industry partner Roche creates synergies and helps streamline research and development processes. In the event of future pandemics, this will enable diagnostics, rapid tests, and vaccines to be developed and manufactured more quickly.

The compact five-story building is clearly organized. Its grid structure is evident in both the floor plans and the building envelope. White metal cassette panels structure the façade, framing expansive ribbon windows and open terraces on the top floor. The cube’s clean form and material palette express the idea of a precise, high-tech building.

Inside, a variety of spaces supports different ways of working and conducting research, from bright, generously proportioned work areas to laboratories that can be fully blacked out. Laboratory and office spaces are arranged along the façade around the building’s centerpiece, a three-story atrium that serves as its social and communications hub. Beneath a glass roof, this light-filled space provides a setting for seminars and events, informal conversations, and shared breaks. The façade’s clean aesthetic continues indoors and is complemented by warm timber elements.

Alongside heat pumps, photovoltaic systems on the extensively planted roof contribute to a sustainable energy supply. Eliminating a basement supports a resource-efficient approach to construction.

The new Fraunhofer ITMP building not only strengthens Germany’s position as a research hub. It also helps ensure that future innovations can be integrated into medical care more quickly, benefiting patients.