A six-storey research building has been developed for the institutes of Engineering Thermodynamics and Technical Physics at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) on the Pfaffenwald site in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, in the immediate neighbourhood of Stuttgart University. In July 2016, about 115 scientists moved into the research laboratories, workshops and offices and are now working on future topics in the fields of energy and laser research. The cubic volume seamlessly fits into the urban structure of both the university campus and the DLR site. The clear edges of the building define the outer boundaries of the plot while also characterising the central space within the campus.
The atrium gives organisation and structure to the building, provides orientation and implements the communication concept. At the edges of the Galleries, conference rooms, tea kitchens, designed also to be meeting spaces, and other communication spots are arranged so as to encourage a creativity-stimulating working environment. On each floor, the respective institutes have their offices as well as laboratory spaces. Short distances between theoretical and experimental workplaces encourage communication and make informal exchange between the different teams easier, for innovation does not only develop within the experimental work but also during the coffee break and in conversation with colleagues.
