Topping-out ceremony at the University’s Center for Deep-Sea Research

Nov 14, 2022

No topping-out ceremony without a topping-out crown: For the important intermediate step, the following met at the future Center for Deep-Sea Research (from left): Professor Michal Kucera (Vice-Rector for Research and Transfer), MARUM Director Professor Michael Schulz, Senator for Science and Ports Dr. Claudia Schilling, University Chancellor Frauke Meyer, and architect Jens Kruse. Photo: MARUM/Diekamp

About a year after construction work began, the topping-out ceremony was celebrated at the Center for Deep-Sea Research (ZfT). Situated next to the MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, construction is nearing completion, with technical installation and facade work currently underway.

The new building is intended to sustainably strengthen marine and climate sciences at the University of Bremen and MARUM. In addition to office space, the new research building will be home to highly specialized laboratories for the participating scientific disciplines, an equipment hall for the maintenance of MARUM’s large-scale marine equipment, and an additional cold storage facility for drill cores from the ocean. The Centre for Deep-Sea Research (ZfT – Zentrum für Tiefseeforschung) is scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.

According to Dr. Claudia Schilling, Senator for Science and Ports, “The Center for Deep-Sea Research raises the comprehensive and internationally focused profile of marine sciences in the state of Bremen to a new level. It aims to achieve scientific breakthroughs in a unique environment through the targeted interlinking of expertise and the development of new technologies. With this new research facility, we are creating the ideal conditions for the University of Bremen to successfully pursue the Ocean Floor Excellence Cluster for the period from 2026 to 2032."

The costs for the new research building are being shouldered by the federal government and the state of Bremen.

An overview of the construction work from start to present can be found in a photo gallery: www.marum.de/Entdecken/Neubau-Zentrum-fuer-Tiefseeforschung.html

In her speech, Dr. Claudia Schilling, Senator for Science and Ports, emphasized the importance of the ZfT for Bremen. Photo: MARUM/Diekamp

Three cheers for the craft! Photo: MARUM/Diekamp

Architect Jens Kruse, HKP-Architekten, explains his vision in designing the building. Photo: MARUM/ Diekamp