Wulf Architekten GmbH

University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building

University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe

UNIVERSITY OF MANNHEIM’S RESEARCH AND TEACHING BUILDING

Wulf Architekten

ARCHITECTS
Wulf Architekten

LOCATION
Mannheim, Germany

AREA
9396.0 m2

PHOTOGRAPHS
Roland Halbe +  Markus Guhl for wulf architekten

PROJECT YEAR
2017

HEATING
Schmitt & Partner GmbH

BUILDING PHYSICS
Ingenieurgesellschaft Hüttinger

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Faktorgrün

MANUFACTURERS
JUNG, Cinca, DLW, FSB Franz Schneider Brakel

ELECTRICAL PLANNING
Schneider Beratende Ingenieure

COMPETITION TEAM
Berit Jennrich, Yeon Yung Choi, Aleksandar Kableshkov

SANITARY PLANNING
Schmitt & Partner GmbH

PLANNING TEAM
Sonja Schmuker, Katharina Heß, Markus Burger

VENTILATION PLANNING
Planungsbüro Schmitt

PLANNING TEAM
Sonja Schmuker (PL), Katharina Heß, Markus Burger

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Werner Sobek Engineering & Design

HEATING AND SANITARY PLANNING
Schmitt & Partner GmbH

Text description provided by architect.

The new construction of the research and teaching building is located on the city square B6 in the centre of Mannheim. The angular form of the house is derived from the restoration of the strict block structure, which is the landmark in the city of Mannheim.

University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe

The main access points have an important urban integration: The main entrance to the new building is located on the street. The entrance area though is designed as a passage to the interior of the block, so that an equal access results also from there.

While the block edge is formed by a relatively narrow building structure, the components oriented towards the block interior get a greater building depth in order to arrange special uses such as seminar rooms and group work rooms.

As an appropriate attitude towards the historically shaped environment with the baroque Jesuit church and the baroque palace Mannheim the façade has a subtly-clear and calm look.

University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe

It consists of a modular assembled square structure coloured light beige, sandblasted concrete elements that repeatedly frame the almost square windows as a creative fundamental theme.

The horizontal shadows on the upper window surround caused by the sunlight correspond with the two horizontal, dark anodised aluminium window sill plates on the lower window surround.

Therefore, the effect of the plastically recessed, homogeneous façade relief is enhanced. Its clear presence in urban space underlines the public character of the research and teaching building.

The interior spaces of the new building consist mainly of flexibly usable seminar and office areas, student workplaces as well as spacious communication areas, which are crucial for the stimulating atmosphere of learning and research.

University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe

In order to provide the seminar areas with as much daylight as possible, additional airspaces were provided, which make the openness and spatial generosity of the floor plan tangible. Vertical visual connections across the floors link the student workplaces.

In addition, both the seminar and office rooms have oak doors that have been supplemented with glass side panels to enhance the visual connection in the corridors.

The inside and the outside are also closely related in dimensioning: The width of the door elements in the office rooms corresponds exactly to the width of the square window elements in the façade.

University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe

In line with the doors, the built-in closets of the office and seminar rooms were made of oak wood. While a dark grey linoleum floor has been laid throughout these areas, light grey cement tiles are found in the central, large staircase, which are designed with a geometric pattern. The spaciously designed, three-flight staircase refers back to the well-known, baroque presentation of the stairways.

The research and teaching building is the first of several construction phases that redefine the city square B6. Due to the planned urban reorganisation of the A5 square, exists now the opportunity to develop a special campus atmosphere on the outskirts of the city grid in the surroundings of the castle and the astronomical observatory as "free space for excellent research".

University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
© Roland Halbe


University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
Ground Floor Plan
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
Ground Floor Plan
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
First Floor Plan
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
Second Floor Plan
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
Third Floor Plan
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
Fourth Floor Plan
University Of Mannheim’s Research And Teaching Building
Section C-C

Wulf Architekten GmbH
T +49 711 2489170 F +49 711 24891710
Wulf Architekten GmbH
Breitscheidstraße 8, 70174 Stuttgart, Germany