"A harmonious ensemble of buildings"

Finance Minister Prof. Dr. Georg Unland handed over the keys to the completed Z I building at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences to the Head of Department at the Ministry of Science, Dr. Ronald Werner, in Zittau today. He immediately passed the key on to the Rector of Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr. phil. Friedrich Albrecht.

Finance Minister Prof. Dr. Georg Unland: "Higher education is one of Saxony's most important locational advantages. This also includes appropriate structural accommodation for the state's universities. With today's handover, the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences will receive a modern teaching and administration building in a historical setting at the Zittau site."

Minister of State Prof. Dr. Unland added: "I am particularly pleased that it has been possible to preserve the existing listed building fabric and harmoniously combine it with a new building to form an ensemble. The ensemble of buildings is also a reminder of the more than 180-year history of Zittau as a university location." 

The construction project included the refurbishment of the existing buildings along Hochwaldstraße in accordance with monument protection regulations, the demolition of the old laboratory hall with the subsequent construction of a new replacement building and the demolition of building Z III, which was no longer required.

The existing listed building stock consists of several building parts that were constructed over the course of several decades: the so-called old building, built around 1898 as a "higher weaving school", the so-called middle building, built in 1951 as an extension for the engineering school for energy technology, and a further extension added in 1961 (so-called old new building).

The refurbishment of the existing buildings in accordance with monument protection regulations included the restoration of all façades and the stairwells in the old, middle and new buildings, partly on the basis of restoration findings. Furthermore, the original box-type windows in the old building were rebuilt as wooden windows with insulating glazing and external sun protection in accordance with the preservation order.

The design of the new building erected to replace the demolished laboratory hall is based on the existing building.

The building complex no longer met the safety and fire protection requirements and was therefore extensively renovated. As part of this process, the building was also made barrier-free. In order to harmoniously unite the existing parts of the building and the new replacement building into an ensemble, the building was given a new two-storey foyer at the interface between the old building and the new replacement building, which acts as a central and barrier-free distributor to the individual areas.

The construction work was carried out in several phases:

In the first construction phase from April 2013 to August 2015, the old building and central building were renovated and the new replacement building was erected. In the second construction phase from September 2015 to May 2017, the old new building was renovated and the outdoor facilities were completed. A third construction phase followed from September to November 2017 and included the demolition of building Z III of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, which was no longer required.

The building complex offers its users a total of approx. 6000 m² of usable space, which will house parts of the departments of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and the university administration including workshops and storage, the computer center's print shop and the rectorate of the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. The construction costs amount to around 18.4 million euros. 

The construction project is being financed by tax revenue on the basis of the budget approved by the members of the Saxon state parliament.