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New Institute’s Building

The structural extension of the Helmholtz Institute Jena (HI Jena) began in October 2019 with a groundbreaking ceremony joined by guests from BMBF, the Federal State of Thuringia, the University and the City of Jena, and GSI.

The building was ceremonially opened for use on 3 November 2022 by representatives from the State of Thuringia, BMBF, and the Helmholtz Association, as well as from GSI and the University of Jena.

Click here for a timelapse video of the construction progress.

The construction site on 22 June 2020
The construction site on 13 July 2020
The construction site on 27 July 2020
The construction site on 23 September 2020: The target laboratory’s concrete roof is being completed.
The construction site on 29 September 2020
The construction site on 12 October 2020
The construction site on 13 October 2020
The construction site on 22 October 2020
The construction site on 16 November 2020
The construction site on 23 November 2020
View of the building shell (future seminar level) from Fraunhoferstraße, 2 December 2020
The construction site on 7 December 2020
The construction site on 14 December 2020
The construction site on 21 December 2020: work on the topmost level has started.
The construction site on 17 February 2021: construction resumes after severe winter weather forces a break.
The construction site on 4 March 2021: after the shell of the topmost level has been completed, roofing preparations are ongoing.
The construction site on 11 March 2021
The construction site on 31 March 2021: most of the building shell, and the groundwork for the upper access ramp, are done.
Early on 9 April 2021, the windows in the new building have been installed almost completely.
Disassembly of the crane, 19 April 2021
View of the new building from Fröbelstieg on 16 July 2021
The scaffolding on the building’s south face is temporarily disassembly early in August 2021, to allow completion of drainage installations.
The construction site on 21 January 2022
View of the building’s western face, 4 April 2022
View of the main entrance at Fraunhoferstraße, with the footbridge under construction (2 May 2022)
View of the landscaped area between the existing and new institute’s building, 23 September 2022
The completed institute’s building on the day of its inauguration, 3 November 2022

View of the Joint Target Area
Access to the target area supply installations
A look up the stairwell
The shell of the laboratory level
A view of the future seminar room
View towards the northern access ramp and the existing institute’s building
View of the target area, where electrical and gas supplies have already been partially installed

View into the target area, with the prepared cutout for the future beam line clearly visible
View into the target are through the access interlock
The almost-completed laboratory area on the building’s ground floor
View of the access footbridge to the main entrance on Fraunhoferstraße
The seminar level immediately prior to its completion