Architect
products & services
slabs ● special-elements ● stair-coverings
Location
Berta-Cramer-Ring, 65205 Wiesbaden, Germany
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The new medical research center at Berta-Cramer-Ring in Wiesbaden demonstrates that scientific workplaces do not have to be cold, technical structures. The Wiesbaden architecture firm grabowski.spork architektur realized a design that deliberately stands out from anonymous functional buildings. The architects focused on a sustainable substance that gains a special spatial quality through the targeted use of belgrano® natural stone. The result is a modern workplace that meets the high functional demands of scientific facilities while simultaneously offering a pleasant and healthy environment for daily research work.
The story of this new building began in the spring of 2020 during the peak phase of the Corona pandemic. The external conditions were anything but simple. Municipal decision-making processes came to a temporary standstill due to the lockdown, which also caused the land acquisition to stall significantly.
However, FYRA Immobilienverwaltungs KG showed great persistence as the client. Instead of viewing the building as a purely return-oriented commercial property, the developers acted with the ambition and passion of a private construction project. This special approach, paired with a trusting cooperation with the architects, opened up creative freedom for design decisions. While standard projects often focus on short-term savings potential, priority here was consistently given to long-term value development and material quality.
The architects designed a striking double-comb structure with a gross floor area of 10,400 and rental space of around 6,200 square meters. The arrangement of two and three-story building wings divides the volume into eleven flexibly usable units starting from 500 square meters of rental space. The spectrum is deliberately broad, ranging from modern office workplaces to highly specialized laboratory environments (S2/S2) that meet the highest requirements for hygiene and safety.
The structural heart of the building consists of load-bearing walls made of monolithic masonry using Poroton bricks. Due to this solid construction method, additional exterior insulation could be completely avoided. The reduction to a few natural materials such as brick masonry and mineral plaster forms the ideal stage for the consistent use of belgrano® natural stone. The cream-beige limestone is a defining feature of the interiors and functions as the design backbone of the building.
The choice of stone was the result of an intensive coordination process where the impact of materiality and haptics stood at the center. Jan Spork, architect and managing director of grabowski.spork, recalls: “We worked our way through the flooring theme haptically. It was first and foremost about finding the most beautiful surface.” For him, this decision was essential for the character of the entire building: “We could easily have chosen an industrial cast stone, but then the building would have lacked that specific soul that truly makes a space a living environment.”
The belgrano® natural stone does not serve as a decorative accessory, but as a connecting element, especially in the 80-meter-long main corridor. “When you look through the space and see how the stone flows through the building as a uniform surface, it is a true delight for the eye,” says Spork. “To achieve this homogeneous effect, we worked intensively on the joint pattern and deliberately minimized the contrast.”
“The decision for large-format slabs beyond common standards was a conscious step to give the surface maximum impact. ‘The processing of these special formats was a demanding task for the entire team,’ Spork admits. “But anyone who sees the generous appearance of the installed surfaces today immediately understands why we remained so consistent with this format.”
When you ask Mr. Spork about the essence of this project, he summarizes it with three terms: clear structure, discipline, and quality awareness. This is also reflected in the building services. Instead of energy-intensive air conditioning, the building relies on geothermal probes for cooling and natural ventilation through floor-to-ceiling windows.
In Wiesbaden, the result is not an interchangeable functional building, but a place that respects craftsmanship, users, and the location in equal measure. The research center shows how sustainable technology and high-quality materials work together.
Find out more about the use and range of applications of natural stone.
“We could easily have chosen an industrial cast stone, but then the building would have lacked that specific soul that truly makes a space a living environment.”
Facades & interior floors
