A new institute building is being constructed in Heidelberg to expand the Max Planck Institute. The project includes two main structures: a ten-story high-rise with a basement level, and a specialized laboratory building designed to meet exceptional requirements for structural performance and vibration control.
The high-rise is being built as a solid reinforced concrete structure with a shallow foundation on load-bearing soil. The basement forms a closed reinforced concrete box with integrated composite columns. The laboratory and office areas feature flat slabs, high-strength composite columns, and stiffening concrete shear walls. In some areas, large cantilevers are implemented using ribbed slab systems. In addition to an underground connecting tunnel, the new complex is linked to the adjacent existing building via a separate steel truss bridge.
The special laboratory is designed as a massive monolithic structure. To meet the particularly high demands for vibration protection, it is founded on a 130 cm thick reinforced concrete slab. The entire structure is located on a single underground level and is fully covered with earth.
The selected structural systems and slab configurations provide a high degree of spatial flexibility and meet the complex requirements of a modern research and laboratory facility.
