XFEL: Construction of the European XFEL Visitor and Conference Centre begins
Construction of the European XFEL Visitor and Conference Centre begins
State Secretary Mario Brandenburg and Schenefeld Mayor Christiane Küchenhof aiding preparations for laying the Visitor Centre foundations
State Secretary Brandenburg said: "Excellent basic research provides fertile ground for innovation, which we need to solve the great challenges of our time. This is why I expressly welcome the construction of the European XFEL visitor centre: it will strengthen knowledge transfer to society and demonstrate to the public the enormous potential of basic research. Together with DESY and Hamburg University, European XFEL is a “lighthouse” of the Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld project. This concentration of scientific know-how consolidates Hamburg's position as a science hub and attracts talent and businesses to the north German region."
Dr Nicole Elleuche, Managing Director and Administrative Director at European XFEL: "In the new visitor centre, we want to show how our X-ray laser works and what insights it can contribute to solving major societal challenges - from basic research for the development of drugs and therapies, to energy research and new materials for data storage. The school lab will provide pupils with experiments linked to the curriculum as well as complementary experiments and insights into modern research. We are very excited about the new opportunities the centre will offer for dialogue with our visitors, guests and researchers."
Christiane Küchenhof, mayor of the city of Schenfeld says: "The visitor centre will shine the light of the European XFEL in the truest sense and ensure a high level of attention in the metropolitan region. I warmly congratulate it, and we in Schenefeld are happy about another milestone in the XFEL success story.”
The name "Lighthouse" was chosen from suggestions by European XFEL staff. It refers to the X-ray laser as a beacon of research and is a tribute to the "light of the future" it generates. The completion of the building and its opening are planned for 2024.
The exhibition will make it possible for the general public, school groups and guests to experience the X-ray laser. At the centre is a model of the facility, around which other interactive exhibits are grouped.
The two student laboratories for physics and biochemistry will enable students to conduct experiments on their own and thus gain an insight into research. By offering courses on various topics, the European XFEL will contribute to the promotion of young scientists in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects.
The largest part of the construction costs, amounting to almost 15 million euros, will be borne by the partner states of the European XFEL. The state of Schleswig-Holstein is supporting the project with an additional two million euros and is also providing a teaching position for the operation of the school laboratory.
Left to right: Christian Harringa, Christiane Küchenhof, Mario Brandenburg, Robert Feidenhans'l, Gudrun Bichowski and Nicole Elleuche
With the Lighthouse, the European XFEL Campus continues to grow. After the warehouse and workshop building (completed in 2018), the company restaurant Beamstop (completed in 2019), the guest house (completed in 2021), an undulator hall (completed 2021) and a new office building with more than 180 additional workplaces (opening in spring 2023), this is the sixth major construction project on the research campus in Schenefeld since the completion and opening of the main building in 2016.
A total of 20.5 million euros has been spent since 2016 on the further development of the research campus in Schenefeld, which will be closely linked to the new Science City at the DESY research centre in Hamburg Bahrenfeld.
Photos of the event are available at the following link from 16:30:
Media Contact
Dr Bernd Ebeling
Tel: +49-40-8998-6921
E-mail: press@xfel.eu
