Status of Construction Work on Campus

Even with operations running at a minimal level during the COVID-19 pandemic, construction work on campus continues. Here is a brief overview from Department 5—Construction, Technology, and Energy (HA5)—on the progress of the largest projects on campus.

LASE

The LASE building is complete except for the interior work; a few trades still have work to finish here. For example, cutouts for lighting and access panels are currently being installed in the ceilings, temporary doors are being replaced with permanent ones, and flooring is being laid in the office spaces. At the same time, the laboratories are being equipped with lab furniture and laser tables. HA5 is taking inventory of the first technical systems and is also gradually being trained for the future operation of the systems. As things stand, the handover of the new LASE research building to TUK is scheduled for February 1, 2021.

Marc Mikusky, Klaus Schneider-Deffland

Photos 1 and 2
A look inside the LASE building. Photos: Mikusky

Parking Garage

Construction of the parking garage began in March/April 2020.

The parking garage itself was constructed using an open steel-frame design. It consists of 12 levels and offers parking spaces for approximately 300 vehicles. There are also two stairwells, which double as emergency exits. A particular challenge was the delivery of the steel beams, as space for maneuvering vehicles was severely limited.

The entrance and exit are located across from UNIFIT on Paul-Ehrlich-Straße. Access to the parking garage is controlled by a barrier, allowing students and university staff to use these parking spaces. As things stand, handover to TUK is scheduled for November 2020.

Jürgen Reinhold, Klaus Schneider-Deffland

Photo 3
The parking garage is virtually complete. Photo: Schneider-Deffland

LPME

In addition to the new LASE research building, which is nearing completion, construction work on the new LPME (Laboratory for Ultra-Precision and Micro-Engineering) research building is also in full swing. The groundbreaking ceremony took place on June 30, 2020, and since then, construction has continued according to schedule, despite the COVID-19 crisis.

The building’s foundations were laid on existing bedrock. The foundations are nearing completion. This will be followed by the structural work on the basement level, which, to protect against vibrations, rests on a concrete floor slab up to 80 centimeters thick. When fully completed, the LPME will have three stories.

Holger Stark, Klaus Schneider-Deffland

Photo 4
The LPME construction site. Photo: Stark