Rostock: Innovative research infrastructure for pioneering technologies

The new Fraunhofer IGD building will accommodate a digital innovation center offering excellent working and research conditions for up to 100 employees and students. As the IT Institute for Visual Computing, Fraunhofer IGD is developing key digital technologies for practical applications at its Rostock site under the direction of Professor Uwe Freiherr von Lukas. The institute is thus making an important contribution to the digital transformation of key sectors of the economy in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and far beyond.

In his speech at the ceremony to mark the start of construction, Professor Axel Müller-Groeling, Chairman of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft e.V., pointed out the central role played by Fraunhofer IGD in digitalization and modern research infrastructures in Germany. Bettina Martin, Minister for Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs in the government of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, emphasized the importance of the new building for the region as a science hub: “Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is already a leader in maritime research. Our research institutes and their staff are networked with colleagues around the world and also enjoy an excellent reputation on the other side of the Atlantic. I was able to see this for myself during a recent visit to an international marine research conference in Canada. The further enhancement of this international reputation requires excellent framework conditions, which this new building will provide.”

Construction milestones and future prospects

Due to be completed by 2028, the construction project will set standards in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability. By harnessing geothermal energy to reduce CO2 emissions and using durable materials, the research building meets the very highest ecological and economic quality standards.

Further standout feature of the Ocean Technology Campus

The establishment of the Fraunhofer IGD within the bounds of Rostock’s freight and fishing port is another long-planned milestone in the dynamic development of the Ocean Technology Campus (OTC). The close collaboration between industry, research and public bodies, local partners and new startups will further enhance the appeal of the Ocean Technology Campus. 

The building site is also alongside the institute’s Digital Ocean Lab (DOL), a unique underwater test field that will be monitored and operated from the new facility. “As Europe’s largest organization for applied research and development services, the commitment of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is of outstanding importance for Rostock as a science location,” says Eva-Maria Kröger, Mayor of the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock. “The investment at the fishing port not only strengthens the close collaboration between science and industry: at this historic maritime location, we are setting a course for the future, the implications of which will be felt around the entire Baltic Sea region.”

“In consciously choosing the Ocean Technology Campus site as its location, the Fraunhofer Institute is contributing to the bundling of knowledge, expertise and innovation there,” says Minister Martin. “The new institute building will create excellent conditions for maritime research at the site. Not only has its usable area of around 2,800 square meters been functionally well planned, with laboratories, workshops, meeting rooms and experimental areas for the Digital Ocean Lab, the building also makes an architectural statement – located right next to the water, with a façade reminiscent of the waves of the sea. A building that creates identity for the location, for the institute and for the people who will work here.” Prof. Dr. Nicole Wrage-Mönnig, Vice-Rector for Research, Talent Development and Equal Opportunities at the University of Rostock, also emphasizes the relevance of the new building for bringing on young talent and promoting scientific education.