Georg-Eckert Campus – A Harmonious Fusion of Heritage, Innovation, and Sustainable Educational Architecture by Sehw Architektur

Located in the heart of Brunswick, Germany, the Georg-Eckert Campus represents a sophisticated blend of historic preservation, contemporary design, and sustainable construction. Designed by renowned Berlin-based firm Sehw Architektur, the project serves as the new home for the Leibniz Institute for Educational Media, advancing the dialogue between the past and the future through sensitive architectural interventions.

A Campus Rooted in Heritage and Transformation

The architectural concept revolves around the careful refurbishment and integration of two historically significant buildings. The Villa von Bülow, a 19th-century neoclassical mansion and listed monument, has been meticulously restored, preserving its cultural and architectural legacy. Meanwhile, a former 1970s nurses’ residence from the adjacent hospital site has been transformed into a modern administrative hub. Rather than demolishing, Sehw Architektur opted for adaptive reuse, embracing the existing structures as critical components of the new campus identity.

A delicate glass bridge physically and symbolically connects the old and the new, enabling a fluid transition between historical and contemporary spaces. This sensitive interplay of architectural eras creates a dynamic and layered campus experience, rooted in continuity and evolution.

A Contemporary Library at the Heart of the Ensemble

At the center of the design is the new two-storey library building — the campus’s architectural and symbolic focal point. Its transparent ground floor opens the interior to the surrounding park, offering uninterrupted views into the institute’s extensive book collections and the tree-filled landscape beyond. The upper floor, wrapped in perforated anodised aluminum panels, introduces a refined lightness that contrasts with the solid plaster volumes of the existing structures.

The façade not only enhances the building’s aesthetic presence but also plays a critical role in its energy performance, filtering sunlight while preserving visual connectivity with the lush greenery outside.

Integration with Nature: Architecture Within a Park

A defining feature of the project is the integration of the surrounding park landscape, located along the Oker River. Mature trees have been preserved and woven into the campus master plan, maintaining the site's ecological continuity and reinforcing its green, biophilic identity. The campus becomes a place of inspiration and well-being, where built space and nature coalesce to support both research and reflection.

Sustainable Design at Every Level

Sehw Architektur approached the Georg-Eckert Campus with a comprehensive sustainability strategy, emphasizing both energy efficiency and sufficiency. Modern construction methods and thoughtful material selection contribute to dramatically reduced energy consumption, while the adaptive reuse of existing buildings minimizes resource depletion and construction waste.

A major highlight is the innovative lighting concept, which combines natural daylighting strategies with a high-performance façade system to minimize artificial lighting needs. These measures not only cut operational costs and CO₂ emissions but also position the campus as a model of sustainable educational infrastructure.

Sufficiency — the conscious decision to use fewer resources — is embedded in the project’s DNA. By retaining and reimagining the existing built fabric, the design honors cultural heritage while reducing environmental impact. In doing so, it redefines sustainable architecture as not only an ecological endeavor but also a cultural responsibility.

A Visionary Future for Educational Media Research

The Georg-Eckert Campus is more than a collection of buildings — it’s a visionary space for academic inquiry, architectural dialogue, and sustainable innovation. It reaffirms how thoughtful architecture can support the evolving needs of research institutions while respecting their historical context and environmental footprint.

Through the interplay of adaptive reuse, architectural clarity, and ecological integration, Sehw Architektur delivers a project that is deeply rooted in place yet boldly future-facing.

All Photographs are works of Philipp Obkircher, Helin Bereket