Topping-Out Ceremony

Just 15 months after the groundbreaking ceremony, the topping-out ceremony for the second construction phase of Mainz University of Applied Sciences was held on September 24, 2021. In the fall of 2023, the departments of Technology and Design—with approximately 2,600 students currently housed at the Holzstraße and Wallstraße campuses—are set to move into the new building, which has a usable floor area of about 13,000 square meters. During the traditional raising of the topping-out wreath, the following spoke: Mainz University of Applied Sciences President Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman, Finance and Construction Minister Doris Ahnen, State Secretary for Science Dr. Denis Alt, the Mayor of Mainz Michael Ebling, and Holger Basten, Managing Director of the State Agency for Real Estate and Construction Management, whose Mainz branch is managing the new building.

The state is investing approximately 62 million euros in the continued consolidation of the university on its campus on Lucy-Hillebrand-Straße near the Europakreisel. The Department of Economics, with approximately 3,170 students, is already located on the campus as part of the first construction phase.

Embracing Collaboration, Shaping Innovation

“Today, we can rightly say: What has been a long time coming is now taking shape quite nicely and has a real chance of turning out well,” said Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman. “From the university’s perspective, it will be ‘good’ if we have succeeded in developing Mainz University—now united at a single location—into an open and welcoming place. It will also be ‘good’ if the new and existing buildings provide the necessary space for where we want to go and what we want to stand for: We live cooperation and shape innovation. We take on challenges and continue to develop. Our graduates are highly qualified to address the global issues of tomorrow and take on responsibility in society. Our thinking and actions transcend the boundaries of academic disciplines and cultures. We empower people to build relationships with individuals from diverse cultural and social backgrounds without prejudice. We are agile, in motion, evolving, and never static. We have set our sights high, and there is still much work ahead of us. This explicitly includes creating a new and shared home for ourselves even as we make our way to the new building. We are well on our way, and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has made this possible.”

45 Percent More Usable Floor Space

The second construction phase of Mainz University of Applied Sciences is being built as a mirror image of the first, with the same basic dimensions and number of stories, but offers approximately 45 percent more usable space. Students and faculty in the departments of Engineering (majors: Architecture and Civil Engineering) and Design (Communication Design, Time-Based Media, and Interior Architecture) will have access to various workshops and laboratories, as well as 36 seminar rooms of varying sizes. A two-story hall is designated for structural engineering and the building materials testing facility, in addition to student workspaces totaling 1,400 square meters and administrative offices.

“With the first construction phase already completed and the new building for the departments of Engineering and Design, this campus location is becoming a central hub for the applied sciences. Like many other current construction projects at our universities in Rhineland-Palatinate, the new building reflects our central commitment to advancing sustainable construction through consistently energy-efficient solutions and the use of renewable energy. “A state-of-the-art building complex is taking shape here, featuring high energy efficiency, cutting-edge ventilation systems, summer heat protection, and photovoltaic systems,” said Doris Ahnen, Minister of Finance and Construction.

“With the second construction phase, the university is taking a major step toward its goal of creating a central campus for all academic departments,” said Dr. Denis Alt, State Secretary at the Ministry of Science and Health. “The campus expansion offers an opportunity to shape the balance between teaching, research, and knowledge transfer in a way that supports innovative teaching formats, strengthens research infrastructures, and unlocks interdisciplinary potential in the physical space as well. Nevertheless, a new building is and remains a shell that must be filled with life. Bringing the vibrancy of research into the new building—that is what the state government is ensuring through the research initiative. This will further strengthen the university’s unique research profile.”

Like the first construction phase, the building is designed as a compact structure with two inner courtyards. In the second construction phase as well, the northern section of the building has four above-ground stories, while the southern section is two stories tall. To accommodate all of the university’s required space, the entire basement is naturally lit and thus on par with the above-ground stories. Thanks to generous light wells on the exterior walls and the generous window design in both inner courtyards, sufficient daylight floods into the laboratories for hydraulic engineering, geotechnical engineering, and physics located there, as well as into the student workspaces and the studio area for plastic arts. This area has direct access to its exhibition space in one of the inner courtyards. Only the photography studios on the south side receive less light via skylights, as comprehensive natural lighting is not desired in this area.

The building heights of both construction phases were designed in accordance with the zoning plan’s specifications so as not to impede the flow of fresh air into the city center. With the completion of the new building, the university will gain a new entrance: the three-story connecting corridor between the first and second construction phases will serve as the main entrance for all three departments on Lucy-Hillebrand-Straße.

Michael Ebling, Mayor of the state capital Mainz, said: “The new university building symbolizes the consolidation of Mainz’s educational landscape—the university and the university of applied sciences are moving even closer together, and in excellent educational facilities at that. Here, we are looking at one of those rare places where you can watch the future take shape. For here, education, science, and research are gaining a new hub in our city, one that stands under the motto ‘25 Years of Project Future.’ Since then, the university has been consistently working toward the future through research, teaching, and networking within the scientific city of Mainz.

This second construction phase of Mainz University of Applied Sciences marks another important milestone on the path to the Mainz Science Campus, which simultaneously offers optimal opportunities for study, research, and development, harnesses synergies, and fosters a sense of identity. Mainz University of Applied Sciences is deeply rooted in the city’s community; its history dates back to 1757, when the Elector of Mainz decided to found an “Academy of Painting and Sculpture.” Today, the university is a key driving force and pacemaker in our city’s community—now with a state-of-the-art new home.”

Holger Basten, Managing Director of the State Agency for Real Estate and Construction Management, said: “The impressive structural shell, with its 11,500 cubic meters of concrete, was constructed rapidly and to a high standard of quality. This required approximately 1,600 trips by large concrete mixers. The key finishing and technical trades were also awarded without a hitch, which is not a given given the current market situation.”

Low-Energy Building

Even the first construction phase, inaugurated in 2009, nearly met the standard of a low-energy building. For the second construction phase, the goal is to achieve the Silver Standard under the federal government’s Sustainable Building Assessment System (BNB), introduced in 2010. Sustainability here refers to the building’s ecological, economic, sociocultural, and technical characteristics. This is achieved, among other things, through infiltration basins that allow surface water to seep into the ground on site. In the summer, thermally activated concrete ceilings with a built-in cold-water network are used to cool the rooms.

The outdoor landscaping concept includes the planting of 88 deciduous trees as well as shrubs, perennials, and grasses across 1,760 square meters. As part of the second construction phase, 312 additional covered bicycle parking spaces will be created, 24 of which will be under a fenced-in and lockable shelter. This area is designated for e-bikes.

Art in Architecture

In June 2021, the collective “inges idee” (Berlin), consisting of four artists, won the competition for “Art in Architecture” at Mainz University of Applied Sciences, which was organized by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The design, titled “Zollstock,” features a dynamic, forward-moving figure taking all the steps to the future main entrance in a single giant stride, which impressed the expert jury. The figure appears to have unfolded from an oversized yellow folding ruler. A total of ten artists or artist groups were invited to submit a detailed design. This was preceded by a nationwide open call for entries.