Foundation HERR sponsored permanent light installation
The historic Building 9 on the campus of the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences shows off its new splendor thanks to a light installation. On Thursday, December 10, the new lighting was switched on at the tradition-rich building, which was home to the Royal School of Building Trades in the early 20th century and has been the head building of Frankfurt UAS for nearly 50 years. Due to its prominent location at the intersection of Nibelungenallee and Friedberger Landstraße, it acts as the "face" of the university in Frankfurt's cityscape.
The central component of the lighting is the university's lettering in gold (illuminated) letters, which add a modern element to the historic character of the building. In addition to the letters, the new lighting concept also includes several light spots on the façade, on the columns in the entrance area, and on two trees next to the building. The light installation of illuminated letters and LED lamps will not only be on display during Advent, but will permanently illuminate the historic building. The control of the lights is programmed so that they start to shine when the surroundings are dark enough. By default, the illuminated lettering and the individual spots on the façade and the trees will shine in a cool white tone, but other color scenarios are also possible, which can be used for special occasions and holidays, for example. As the eastern portal and start of the Campus Mile between the Nibelungenallee campus, the Westend campus of Goethe University, the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and the German National Library, the building will have a special significance in the future.
"We are very pleased that our Building 9 is shining in new splendour just in time for Advent, because light is always also a sign of hope, which we need especially in the current challenging times. With the light installation, the beginning of the Campus Mile also gets a new, brightly shining face," says University President Prof. Dr. Frank E.P. Dievernich, who expressly thanks the HERR Foundation for its support, which not only sponsored the light installation but also took on the renovation of the façade, the foyer and some important interior rooms. "We are very pleased with the HERR Foundation's tremendous commitment, which has enabled us to modernize and enhance our historic Headquarters building. Without their support, it would not have been possible. With the HERR Foundation, we have a reliable partner at our side, with whom we will realize even more joint projects in the coming years."
The new lighting concept is part of the extensive modernization of the building, the plans for which are based on designs by students at the university. In 2019, around 80 students from the Department of Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geomatics had entered their ideas into a student ideas competition to redesign the building. In March 2020, renovation work on the building was delayed by a fire in the roof truss. Nine months later, the modernized facade of the historic structure can now be seen in its new splendor. The Frankfurt-based company AES Technik and its light artists, who have already illuminated the Paulskirche, the Alte Oper and various projects during the Luminale in Frankfurt, are responsible for the illumination of the exterior façade.
The modernization of Building 9 is the first project that the university is implementing together with the HERR Foundation. "With the realization of this project, we would like to give the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences radiance beyond the borders of Frankfurt," is how founder Sigrid Herr formulates her concern. "We look confidently to the year 2021, where further lighthouse projects await joint realisation by our foundation and the university." In establishing the foundation, Sigrid Herr has implemented an idea of her late brother Wilhelm Herr, who himself was a graduate of the civil engineering course at the former Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, now Frankfurt UAS, and spent part of his student days in Building 9. In addition, the tradition of the Herr family lies in a passion for planning and building that spans several generations. This gave rise to the motivation for the donor to work with the university to take steps to beautify and enhance Building 9. "I want to create a place of identification and good memories for the students, so that they can proudly say, ‚this is my university'," says Sigrid Herr.
About the HERR Foundation
The HERR Foundation was established in the fall of 2017 as a charitable foundation under civil law and aims to support Frankfurt UAS and its university members and graduates. It provides funds for projects by students and academics and supports the international exchange of students and lecturers at Frankfurt UAS. It also awards scholarships and prizes for special achievements and supports the transfer of knowledge and the founding of companies by graduates. Funding is also available for the optimisation of the university's infrastructure and equipment.
Further information at: http://www.frankfurt-university.de/stiftung-herr
