Located in the heart of Heilbronn, Germany, this iconic building sits on a small island in the Neckar River. Its spiral spatial design creates a carefully orchestrated experience, connecting the interior environment with the surrounding landscape.
△ General layout plan
The newly completed structure integrates a renovated warehouse, forming a small square that serves as the entrance for visitors. After entering the lobby, visitors follow a spiral path, ascending continuously to the fourth floor where themed exhibition halls are arranged sequentially. These halls primarily showcase science and technology topics and feature interactive installations designed to engage younger audiences, blending education with entertainment.
The architect arranged the exhibition halls in a horseshoe shape around the building’s atrium, creating interactive spaces between the two blocks. Visitors can continue along the spiral path to reach the rooftop terrace, offering panoramic views of the Neckar River Valley. The roof also houses an astronomical observatory and an experimental theater. The basement provides an ideal setting for a 360-degree scientific dome cinema and includes space for temporary exhibitions.
Concept diagram
This science museum acts like a toolbox for science and technology. Its architectural design enhances the educational value by offering visitors both distant views of the landscape and opportunities to explore intricate details within the interior space.
Design Drawings
△ First floor plan
△ Second floor plan
△ Third floor plan
△ Fourth floor plan
△ Fifth floor plan
△ Sixth floor plan
△ Underground floor plan
△ Section diagram
△ Section diagram
Project Information
Project Type: Exhibition Center, Science Center, Landmark & Commemorative Building
Location: Heilbronn, Germany
Architectural Firm: Sauerbruch Hutton
Area: 17,720 m²
Year of Completion: 2019
Photographer: Jan Bitter
Lead Architects: Andrew Kiel, Peter Apel
Project Team: Matthias Sauerbruch, Louisa Hutton, Juan Lucas Young, Andrew Kiel, Peter Apel, Jürgen Bartenschlag, Marc Broquetas, Stefan Fuhlrott, Falco Herrmann, Viviane Hülsmeier, Axel Ibarroule, Rémi Jalade, Nils Lindhorst, Patrick Mc Hugh, Felix Partzsch, Jimi Pazos Estevez, Tanja Reiche-Hoppe, Amalia Sanchez, Christian Seidel, Marina Stoynova, Markus Weber, Waldemar Wilwer
Client: Schwarz Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG
General Construction Management: Drees & Sommer GmbH, Stuttgart – Mirco Beutelspacher, Volker Mack
Landscape Design: Hager Partner AG, Zürich/Berlin
Structural Engineering: SBP Schlaich Bergermann Partner GmbH, Berlin
Mechanical and Energy Design: Drees & Sommer Advanced Building Technologies GmbH, Stuttgart
Fire Protection Design: hhpberlin Engineers for Fire Protection GmbH, Frankfurt am Main
On-site Supervision: Wenzel+Wenzel GmbH, Stuttgart
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