The extension building appears as an independent structure on the southern slope of the Jena Landgrafen hill. Positioned between villa-like residential buildings and large-scale research facilities, a cube has been placed efficiently while mediating between the different scales. Its ideal form offers not only an optimal surface-to-volume ratio but also an effective central spatial organization.

Following the essential functional and technical underground connection to the high-performance laser line, a reinforced concrete skeletal structure rises above the basement level. The ground floor, located at the level of the slope, provides access to the laboratory spaces. The first upper floor, situated at street level, ensures the main access to offices and a seminar room via a bridge; the seminar room can be expanded into the foyer to maximize space. Additional offices are located on the second upper floor.

The construction and façade allow for long-term spatial flexibility, enabling adaptations and future modifications. Sculptural recesses in the building envelope shape the spatial structure and ultimately reflect the structural grid, creating a play of light and shadow. “Penetration points” in the relief of the exterior shell—formed as windows, entrances, and loggias—create initial correspondences between interior and exterior space.

The changing appearance of all façades through varying light conditions, the formation of shadows in the wall recesses, the shadows of trees, and not least the shading elements that can transform the windows into closed surfaces, symbolically references the Helmholtz Institute, whose research themes include the interaction between light and matter.