March 28, 2024

Martinsried - Science Beacons - Munich

Martinsried – Science Beacons – Munich

By 2033, the Max Planck Society will replace all of its low-rise buildings from the 1970s on campus with modern, multi-storey buildings that take up less space and allow short subway distances.

The Campus in Martinsried will completely change its face in the next ten years. All the Max Planck Society (MPG) buildings are gradually being demolished and replaced with new ones. The motto is: “A new scientific approach geared toward the U-Bahn for international best research: a fully regenerated campus,” Christoph Nagel Hirschauer of the German Public Administration MPG told Blaneger municipal councils on Tuesday. The mega project is being funded by €500 million, which is provided by Free State from private funds exclusively to the Martinsried campus.

The buildings of the Max Planck Institutes have been going on for years.

(Photo: Katharina Hess)

For more than half a century, the Max Planck Society Institutes in Martinsried have formed the heart of a vast campus with the Universities, Biocentre and Center for Innovation and Startup Biotechnology (IZB). The fabric of the 50-year-old flat is showing strong signs of wear, said Nagel Hirschauer at the local council. The construction of the subway from Großhadern to the campus hastened the MPI’s deliberations for a comprehensive solution: “We want to create science institutions that are eco-orientated, as climate-neutral as possible, newly oriented, and an international beacon project for modern biosciences.” The slogan is “Towards the Subway”, and associated with this is the concept of mobility that moves “away from the car” and strives for short distances. In the past, MPG did not “use existing building rights”; And in the end, it was a matter of redevelopment of an area of ​​​​75,000 square meters. And: “We want to use less floor space. That means we’re going to build something, four to five stories.” The current design of flat buildings means ‘more stamping’ and not ‘future oriented’.

There were always open days at the institutes.

(Photo: Stefan Rampf)

As of 2026 – at the same time as the U 6 – “partial dismantling” is planned. Smaller parts of the building – such as the animal house – can continue to be used, and temporary use of containers is also being considered. “We have a lot of space,” said Nagel Hirschauer. In any case, operations will continue, even if restrictions are foreseen. First of all, new buildings will be erected in two stages of construction, and only then will the transition take place. Also think about temporary arrangements. A new house is also planned. The huge logistical effort must be handled “in close cooperation with the municipality of Blanig” –

Open Day at Max Planck Institutes (MPI)

Slots for the interested have been attracting many visitors for years.

(Photo: Johannes Simon)

Society plays a central role in planning anyway. Because only two years have been planned for the development plan – a “sports project,” said Ursula Jansson of the building authority. If Nagel-Hirschauer, also an architect, desires, the new data center will be a priority. In addition, there is a “private campus for power supply”, and negotiations with municipal utilities are already underway. Daycare centers will soon be replaced by temporary arrangements. Nagel-Hirschauer has not yet been able to determine whether there will be a procedure for a European award and architectural competitions.

1100 employees, three Nobel Prizes

With the establishment of the Max Planck Institute nearly 50 years ago, the Max Planck Society laid the foundation stone for today’s biotechnology campus. Previously, the municipality of Blanage headed by Mayor Richard Naumann (SPD) released the huge space exclusively for the localization of scientific projects. Over the years, one of the world’s most important scientific centers has emerged, also known as “Bio-Valley Martinsried”.

About 100 companies and scientific institutions are listed here. About 1,100 people work in 15 scientific departments at the MP Institutes alone. Currently about 850 scientists from 45 countries work at the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, 300 at the Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology. In addition, there is the accompanying MPI for ornithology in Seewiesen, which will soon be combined with the Martinsried Institutes to form the ‘MPI for Biological Intelligence’.

Countless international prizes for scientists have been awarded at MPI Martinsried, including three Nobel Prizes: Robert Huber for chemistry, to Bert Sackmann in physiology/medicine, and Theodor Wolfgang Hansch for physics. pl

Local councils from all parliamentary blocs were impressed by Mayor Hermann Nafzeiger (CSU). Nafziger believes in a “win-win situation” for all involved. Many speakers praised the intention of using taller buildings to take up less space. Nagel Hirschauer emphasized that “no high-rise buildings were planned”, and the environmental aspects were rated “very high”. Everything should be ready by 2033.

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