The BerlinBioCube on the Berlin-Buch campus is a cutting-edge hub for biotech and medtech companies. This five-storey laboratory building meets S2 safety standards and spans 8,000 m^², housing modern labs, offices, and collaborative spaces—all designed to foster connection. As Campus Berlin-Buch Managing Director Dr Christina Quensel explains: "Our campus thrives on proximity and creative collaboration. In research facilities, we intentionally design spaces where chance encounters can spark innovation. We've embedded these gathering areas throughout the BerlinBioCube specifically to help founders connect and exchange ideas."

Munich-based doranth post architects created a striking visual identity through a carefully orchestrated grid of façade profiles, establishing the building as a clearly defined cube that commands attention on campus. This geometric precision is reinforced at the corners by textile-wrapped frames that sharpen the building's volumetric presence within its context. But the BerlinBioCube's true distinction lies in how architecture and lighting design work in concert. FaktorLicht, an engineering firm from Filderstadt, seamlessly wove light into the building's DNA. "The architecture speaks a language of clean lines and restrained materiality," notes Philipp Haas of FaktorLicht. "Our lighting concept, built from linear components, amplifies those same lines—yet the narrow, orthogonally arranged light strips also introduce a playful, almost whimsical counterpoint that makes spaces feel alive."The team faced a creative challenge: marking floor levels with embedded light channels in the concrete structure. LTS's custom light channels proved ideal, delivering both technical precision and design elegance. In the communication zones, these channels deliberately interrupt the building's strict geometry, creating visual interest and enhancing how people experience the space. Custom-designed for German production, these light channels exemplify how functionality and aesthetics can merge seamlessly. Precisely embedded in exposed concrete, they form oversized floor numbers rendered in a digital-style glow, providing soft ambient light while making a bold design statement.

www.lts-light.com
www.faktorlicht.de
www.doranth-post-architekten.de

Photos:
Henrik Schipper
www.henrikschipper.de

(Published in CUBE Berlin 03|24)