The Geutebrück building at HTWK Leipzig: the comprehensive energy-efficiency refurbishment is now entering its critical phase

Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar: Zum deutschen Artikel.

The building has been empty for months now. Over the last few days, the Geutebrück building of the HTWK on Karl-Liebknecht-Straße has now been completely covered in scaffolding. Under the supervision of the Leipzig II branch of the state-owned enterprise Sächsisches Immobilien- und Baumanagement (SIB), extensive renovation work is now underway on the Geutebrück building of the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (HTWK Leipzig).

As part of the heritage-sensitive refurbishment and modernisation of the building complex – comprising the seminar, teaching and lecture theatre blocks – which has been underway since 2024, work includes, amongst other things, the structural fire safety measures are being upgraded, the building envelope is being renovated to improve energy efficiency, and the high-voltage and telecommunications systems are being brought up to the latest standards. In addition, a modern security concept and the provision of barrier-free access to all parts of the building, including the southern entrance area, are being implemented. Spatial and functional adaptations to the staggered storey and its connection to the main stairwell of the teaching building are also planned, as is the installation of an additional lecture theatre in the former soil mechanics laboratory area in the basement of the lecture theatre building.

The issue of contamination is also a concern

Furthermore, according to the SIB, extensive refurbishment work on the building fabric is required, including the remediation of areas contaminated with hazardous substances, the strengthening of timber-beamed ceilings in the seminar building, the insulation and waterproofing of floor slabs in the teaching and lecture theatre buildings, and the renewal of the building’s waterproofing in areas in contact with the ground. In addition, reinforced concrete elements will be reinforced and surface finishes refurbished to improve indoor environment quality, acoustics and functionality. The outdoor facilities are being redesigned. Pavements, traffic areas, parking spaces and communal areas are being laid out anew, the perimeter fencing is being reinforced, and the media supply and disposal systems on the site are being restructured.

With the façade scaffolding now in place, core works have begun in all parts of the building. Work has already been completed on the reorganisation of the utility networks on the courtyard side, including new utility connections, the reinforcement of the timber-beamed ceilings in the seminar building, and the replacement of the floor slabs in the basement of the teaching building. The comprehensive refurbishment is scheduled for completion in 2029.

The total construction costs currently approved for the extensive refurbishment of the complex amount to around 40 million euros. Funding for the project is available from the European Regional Development Fund (EE-EFRE), which supports investments aimed at improving the energy efficiency of university buildings and state-owned properties. The construction project is co-financed by tax revenue based on the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.

The Geutebrück Building

The Geutebrück Building complex, named after Albert Geutebrück (1801–1868), the first director of the Royal Saxon School of Civil Engineering, consists of three buildings: the seminar building, the Teaching Building and the Lecture Theatre Building, and forms a central part of the HTWK Leipzig campus along Richard-Lehmann-Straße, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße and Eichendorffstraße in Leipzig’s Südvorstadt district.

The building’s clock tower marks its location at a significant urban junction where two central axes meet in Leipzig city centre. The complex is visible from afar along one of Leipzig’s most famous streets and serves as a flagship for the university.

The Geutebrück Building houses the university management, other key university departments, the Faculty of Civil Engineering and the University Language Centre. It contains centrally located lecture theatres and seminar rooms. All three buildings in the complex are listed as individual monuments.