Fraunhofer-Haus

The headquarters of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft are located in the southwest part of downtown Munich. The new building complex allows all parts of the company’s central administration to be consolidated in one location.

Transparency and openness were the goals for the design of an ensemble composed of three buildings. The 17-storey office building surrounds a green courtyard together with a five-story wing and another office building on the other side of Hansastraße.

With a largely open space concept, the building provides a structural foundation which promotes communication. The project is also a landmark with regard to environmentally friendly construction.

The offices can be naturally ventilated via a double facade, developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems. A thermal-active concrete core works with natural ventilation to optimize the night cooling effect in summer. In conjunction with the combined heat and power unit (CHP), this system meets most of the heating requirements, while a gas boiler covers peak loads.

At the same time, the CHP provides electricity and acts as an emergency power unit. During the summer, the CHP supplies process energy for cooling by means of an absorption chiller.