The University of Applied Sciences for Beverage Technology in Geisenheim, Germany, has completed construction of two innovative academic buildings designed by Bez+Kock Architekten. The new lecture hall building and logistics laboratory represent a significant expansion of the historic campus, which originated from the Royal Prussian Institute for Fruit and Wine Growing established in 1872.
The architectural project encompasses 9,520 square meters of space and was completed in 2025. The buildings feature a sophisticated blend of materials, with coarsely blasted precast concrete elements forming the structural base and wooden pilasters creating distinctive light and shadow patterns across the facades. Photography by Brigida González showcases the contemporary design that honors the institution's winemaking heritage.
The lecture hall building serves as the eastern campus entrance, marked by a magnificent cedar tree on Von-Lade-Straße. The facility includes a weather-protected foyer that extends onto the campus lawn and houses approximately 700 seats arranged in ascending tiers that follow the natural slope of the terrain. A skylit open staircase leads to four seminar rooms located on the upper floor.
The logistics laboratory follows the curved alignment of adjacent Falterstrasse with a staggered layout that creates optimal room depths for various classroom sizes. The upper floor features a triple-bay design with offices positioned on both sides, while the staggered core zone incorporates air spaces that provide vertical connections between floors.
The Beverage Technology Center represents the most crucial component for practical training of future beverage technologists. This dual-purpose building takes advantage of the site's steep topography, with the lower south-facing floor creating an welcoming gesture toward the future campus square, while the central production hall is accessed from the elevated north side.
Laboratories, workshops, and administrative offices surround the central hall on three sides. The technical center provides hands-on instruction in the complete automated beverage production process, from fresh fruit delivery through juice extraction, schnapps distillation, and final bottling and canning operations. The wooden support structure is clad with polycarbonate panels that transform the building into a lantern, allowing filtered daylight to illuminate the interior spaces.
The basement houses a demonstration winery that can be observed from the adjacent tasting area. Additional facilities include a sensory laboratory, coffee roasting facility, and multiple workshops, creating a comprehensive teaching environment that is unique in Germany. The architectural design emphasizes the complementary relationship between wood and concrete materials, balancing load-bearing capacity, durability, and sustainability while giving the buildings a contemporary yet rustic character that defines the institution's identity.
