AUDI CHP, 2019

At the beginning of January 1997, ABH was commissioned to design the building for a combined heat, power, and cooling plant as well as a re-cooling plant on the premises of Audi AG in Ingolstadt. Initially, the planning specifications came from a concept proposal or technical design by the RCI planning office for the CHP plants.

The plant concept was essentially divided into three areas:

1. Turbine Hall

2. Machine Hall

3. Low- and medium-voltage installations and transformer rooms

The architectural design was based on the idea of a transparent shell for the turbine and machine hall that would make the plant’s technology visible from the outside. Made of a steel-and-glass construction, the hall is set in contrast to the massive extension that is a long, elongated structure for switchgear and transformer rooms located south of the halls. The cantilevered presentation room (training room) on the upper floor breaks up the massing of this wing of the building. This upper space also has a completely glazed façade. Glass slats were planned and executed as sunscreen protection, which are computer-controlled to self-adjust depending on the position of the sun. The firewall on the east and west sides was extended beyond the building to architecturally accentuate the separation of the halls and the extension.

The re-cooling plant is located in front of the structure on the south side like a ship. The outer wall of the hot water pool forms the boundary to the hall building as a cantilevered concrete slab. The water level can be seen through three portholes.