Tour

The MPI-CBG is situated a few kilometers from the historical center of Dresden. It lies between the clinics of the university's medical faculty and an old residential area.
The site for the Institute was a former tram depot near the Elbe River. The long and narrow property was taken as the basis for the architectural statement; the building complex resembles a line, or genetic map.

The world-class Finnish architects, Mikko Heikkinen and Markku Komonen, were selected as principal architects together with the German architectural firm of HENN.

The construction of the building was accomplished in record time. It began in the spring of 1999 and was completed at the end of 2000. Since February 2001, scientists from 30 different countries have been working together under one roof. The inauguration by the MPG President Hubert Markl with guest of honour Chancellor Schröder took place in March 2002.

The total size of the building is 24,162 sqm. The MPI-CBG has three principal components: the main laboratory block (20,541 sqm), a function building (2,678 sqm) and a guesthouse for visiting scientists and students (943 sqm). The total building costs were 55 Million Euros.

The idea was to design a building on the highest level in technical and practical terms in laboratory design that also promotes synergy, cooperation and community.

The Laboratory building consists of eight 1,100 sqm home bases, which connect to a tall central hall that functions as communication center. The ground floor includes a cafeteria and the dining hall overlooking a rear garden, while library, auditorium and administration facilities are immediately adjoining.

The institute atrium contains a work of art by the Swiss artist George Steinmann. His approach was to understand the scientific and cultural role of the Institute. The outcome is a multiple and multilayered work of art called "Metalog", including a video for three screens. The picture motif is of a lichen, a symbiotic organism serving as a metaphor for mutual interdependency, particularly important in scientific research. These pictures are on the wall of the atrium.

To protect the entry, the architects designed a row of canvas sail-like canoples.

The architecture in front of the deep blue, metal-clad building is dominated by a green metal grid on both long sides, which helps to decrease the sun's thermal energy. The architectural role of the grid is related to its kinetic effect, which renders the building curiously immaterial and lively. Only the green surface of the grid is visible when viewed obliquely, but when faced from head on the deep-blue metal is revealed. When moving past the building one can experience the change of colour and light.