The project extends the laboratory and office building as part of the urban master plan for the aerospace complex in Taufkirchen. The master plan comprises studies on spatial relations, structural enhancements, changes in use and the feasibility of potential interventions. This gives the project the flexibility to introduce updates where necessary and adapt to the company’s future demands.

The extension restructures the Process Engineering, Surface Engineering and Analytics divisions and brings them all together in one building. With three stories on the lower-elevation side and two stories on the other, the project extends the research facilities in existing building No. 77 and provides bridges linking the old and the new. The R&D building has a direct sightline to the main entrance of the complex and represents a flagship project in the launch of the new Ludwig Bölkow Campus.

The square-shaped layout is divided into a ring of office and laboratory units behind the façade, a second ring for access and a middle area with a two-story courtyard. The conference rooms and common areas with kitchenettes extend outside through the courtyard doors, encouraging communication and social interaction. The square-shaped footprint of the R&D building is reflected in the façade design. The metal mesh panels covering the top third of the window cutouts are the only elements disrupting the uniformity of the design. They provide privacy and in some cases sun protection for the laboratories and the offices as well as safeguarding against break-ins during night-time ventilation.