On 4 September, the topping-out ceremony for the Chemical Invention Factory – John Warner Center for Start-ups in Green Chemistry was held on TU Berlin’s Charlottenburg campus. The event marks an important milestone on the way towards the building’s planned completion in 2027. With a total construction budget of around €20 million, the project will create Europe’s largest laboratory infrastructure dedicated specifically to transfer and pre-start-up teams working in the field of green chemistry. Researchers and start-ups will have access to specialised laboratory, analytical and office spaces in which research findings can be developed further under practical conditions and prepared for real-world application.
FJP has been involved in the project together with SEHW Architektur since the successful competition in 2020. The joint design was awarded first prize and subsequently selected for implementation. While the compact research building forms a distinctive new element within the TU campus, FJP’s landscape design creates a coherent setting that connects the new building with its surroundings. A clearly defined forecourt on Marchstraße establishes a strong entrance, while the sheltered communal courtyard provides space for meeting and exchange beneath the existing trees.
The project’s sustainability ambitions also extend into the external spaces. Unsealed planted areas, permeable surfaces, green roofs and native planting contribute to a more resilient microclimate and support local ecological functions. We are pleased to see the joint design taking increasingly tangible shape and to have reached another important milestone with the topping-out ceremony.