For years, biomedical facilities at the University Hospital Bonn were spread across the Venusberg campus. To streamline and optimize research operations, a new Biomedical Centre II (BMZ II) was designed on the campus's northwestern edge, positioned directly across from BMZ I. The Berlin-based architecture firm Sweco developed a building distinguished by its minimalist envelope and its thoughtful urban positioning.

Positioned on Sigmund-Freud-Straße directly behind the linear BMZ I complex, the BMZ II is connected via an internal passage. Rising three storeys with a setback top level, it creates a visual bridge between the height of the BMZ I laboratory building and the lower-scale residential area across the street. The building's form—inspired by a smooth pebble—echoes both the spatial geometry of BMZ I and the angled street layout while simultaneously reducing the envelope surface area. A continuous reinforced concrete cantilever defines the façade horizontally across each storey. Between window elements, alternating bands of coloured glass and varying-width aluminium louvers create rhythmic visual articulation. At the entrance, the façade steps back to form a covered arrival area.

BMZ II houses multiple research laboratories, offices, training and conference facilities, and cross-functional technical platforms—known as "core facilities." Beyond foundational research, the building focuses on immunology and infectious disease research. A centrally located entrance foyer opening onto Sigmund-Freud-Straße includes a publicly accessible science forum, open to visitors at all times. Through its distinctive location and striking architectural presence, BMZ II serves as the University Hospital's new western gateway.

www.swecoarchitects.com

Photography Credits:

Philip Kistner
www.philipkistner.com

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn, 04|21)