Lemgo

OWL University of Applied Sciences

New construction of the laboratory buildings at the Technical University in Lemgo

The laboratory building for the Life Science Technology department is designed with two and three levels and a staggered floor. These levels house two lecture halls with media technology, lounge areas, and a technical center for meat technology, protein-based foods, and baking and confectionery technology. With its anthracite-colored, highly insulated curtain wall, aesthetic exposed concrete walls up to 6.3 meters high, and impressive grid images in the entrance area, the new building is architecturally extremely sophisticated.

The second building for the electrical engineering and mechanical engineering departments follows almost the same design concept and is compactly designed with a split level over four floors, plus a staggered floor. Here, students will be able to carry out load, vibration, and sound tests, among other things. The building houses seminar and office space, a roller test bench, various engine test benches, an EMC measurement cabin, and an anechoic chamber. The foyer features a place of honor for the world's oldest still-operational diesel engine, dating from 1903.

Specialized interior design requires a high degree of coordination

Lean management was used to avoid planning errors and establish efficient processes in this demanding project. The focus was on cooperation, transparency, and smooth communication between all project participants. The aim was to use resources according to need, keep an eye on costs, and define responsibilities and communication channels at an early stage.

In particular, the coordination of the final interior work, the commissioning of the mechanical engineering elements, and the adjustment of the building services required careful coordination, as these are associated with increased technical requirements in a laboratory building. Among other things, pipes for compressed air and special gases, direct current rails, smoke and heat extraction systems, fire alarm and burglar alarm systems, and an extensive ventilation system were installed.

The on-site construction of the laboratories was also supervised and coordinated by project manager Joachim Pälmke and a total of seven PORR site managers. Joachim Pälmke commented on the exceptionally diverse requirements placed on the team: "All trades delivered top-notch performance and impressed with the implementation of customized solutions for these highly specialized laboratory buildings.

From the quality of the exposed concrete walls to the installation of the testing and building technology, practically nothing in this project was off the shelf. The fact that the quality of the execution is right in the end is also thanks to the excellent cooperation with the project managers at the Bielefeld branch of BLB NRW and the university."