LAMILUX Glass Roof as a highlight of the EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf
Where sustainable ideas find space
Surrounded by an airport, railway lines and motorway, the EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf has been created as an innovation hub that makes the topics of energy, mobility and sustainability tangible in spatial terms. At the heart of the approximately 80,000 square metre building is a spacious, covered interior environment where work and interaction merge seamlessly. Green spaces, intelligent energy storage systems and innovative glass architecture interconnect to make the concept of sustainability visible. The LAMILUX Glass Roof PR60, with its properties in acoustic insulation, thermal protection and daylight provision, becomes a defining element in creating a pleasant indoor climate.
Real-world laboratory for energy, mobility and sustainability
The EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf is part of the “European Energy Forum” concept and brings together companies, research institutions and start-ups in one location. The aim is not only to develop solutions for energy, mobility and sustainability, but also to test them under real operating conditions.
The approximately 4,000 employees do not work in isolation but in direct proximity to one another. Exchange, collaboration and knowledge transfer are integral parts of the campus concept.
“The users are not traditional tenants for us, but partners,” explains architect Johannes Tücks. “Spatial proximity and open structures are key to collaboration.”
Architecture as a response to the location
The architectural solution is directly derived from the site conditions: the campus is located in immediate proximity to an airport, railway lines and motorway – with correspondingly high levels of noise and emissions.
Unlike in Berlin, where the campus is embedded in a more open environment with outdoor spaces, Düsseldorf deliberately adopts an inward-facing structure. The building is designed as a closed block that creates its own protected internal environment.
At its centre are three covered courtyards with an indoor garden, relaxation areas, catering facilities and event spaces. They form the actual living space of the campus.
The roof structure is not merely a design feature, but a prerequisite for the concept: it protects against noise and weather, enables year-round use and at the same time ensures that the interior areas are supplied with daylight. Without this combination, the desired quality of stay would not be achievable at this location.
Outdoor feeling indoors
The highlight of the courtyards is the LAMILUX Glass Roof PR60, which makes this concept physically tangible. It brings natural light deep into the building structure and creates an atmosphere reminiscent of being outdoors – protected and independent of external influences.
The courtyards appear open and vibrant, with changing light conditions throughout the day creating a natural dynamic within the space. At the same time, different lighting zones are created that support both retreat and communication.
This quality has a direct impact on users, as daylight promotes well-being, enhances concentration and supports productive work. The central interior zone thus becomes not only a functional but also an emotional focal point of the campus.
Controlling transparency with precision
Large-scale glass roofs are often associated with concerns that the spaces beneath them may overheat – particularly in cases of intensive use and large spans.
At the EUREF-Campus, the challenge was to combine openness and daylight with effective thermal protection. The aim was to maintain high transparency without creating a greenhouse effect, while also accommodating different usage requirements within the courtyards.
The solution lies in the precise coordination of glazing and shading. Through targeted printing and functional differentiation of the roof surfaces, LAMILUX experts developed a system that controls solar radiation, creates diffused light and reduces heat gain.
Thanks to a cloud-like structure, a pleasant indoor climate with glare-free lighting has been achieved.
Quiet despite a high-frequency environment
In addition to thermal comfort, acoustic quality also plays a decisive role. The immediate proximity to the airport, railway lines and motorway creates a constant noise background that would significantly impair the quality of stay without appropriate measures.
Here, the LAMILUX Glass Roof PR60 performs a central function. By using specialised sound-insulating glazing, external noise is significantly reduced, creating a calm and focused atmosphere inside.
“You can see the aircraft – but you cannot hear them,” describes architect Johannes Tücks.
This acoustic decoupling is particularly crucial for communication and working areas. It enables open architecture without the typical limitations of use in noise-intensive environments.
Glass roof as part of the energy concept
The combination of daylight utilisation, thermal and acoustic protection directly supports the overarching goal of the EUREF-Campus: a holistically sustainable building concept.
The LAMILUX glass roof plays an active role in this. The high level of daylight reduces the need for artificial lighting. At the same time, the thermal insulation properties of the glazing minimise heat loss in winter and limit solar heat gain in summer.
In combination with integrated ventilation vents, a system is created that supports natural ventilation and reduces the need for mechanical cooling. In this way, the glass roof makes a significant contribution to an energy-efficient and user-oriented building operation.
Together with renewable energy sources and innovative storage systems, the campus becomes a fully functioning integrated system.
Planning expertise as the key to system success
Projects such as the EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf demonstrate that large-scale glass roofs are far more than architectural design elements. They are an integral part of the building and energy concept and require precise planning that considers structural engineering, building physics, usage and design in equal measure.
From the development of bespoke shading concepts and acoustic and thermal optimisation to the integration of ventilation functions, the requirements for planning and execution are high and must be considered holistically from an early stage.
LAMILUX supports such projects with comprehensive system and planning expertise – from the concept phase through to realisation. The result is glass roof solutions that not only impress in terms of design, but also meet the highest functional and energy performance standards.