Rostock's New Modular Timber Campus Completed

A new campus for the Federal University of Public Administration was completed in the Lichtenhagen district of Rostock, Germany. The site provides housing and study facilities for 600 students and comprises an academic building and two residential blocks with a total gross floor area of 51,200 m².

The structures are largely timber‑framed and were prefabricated at a factory in Rostock before being assembled on site, allowing the entire construction period to be limited to 24 months. The campus features a 130‑metre folded aluminium façade on the university building, coloured timber façades on the residences, and a public park formed by a raised garden plateau between the housing blocks. Photovoltaic panels and geothermal systems are integrated, enabling the complex to exceed the Silver criteria of the Sustainable Building Assessment System for Federal Buildings (BNB). It is described as the largest modular timber building in Europe and a showcase for sustainable, cost‑effective construction methods.