Press releases

The non-profit Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation for Building Culture and Materials (Bochum/Berlin) will be supporting fundamental[AT1]  research in the field of bioluminescence over the next three years. This refers to the ability of plants, animals and microorganisms to produce natural light - through chemical interactions and without generating any heat. The extent to which this organic potential can find its way into materials research and, in the long term, lead to the development of new, climate-neutral or even climate-positive light sources, such as in building and street lighting, is to be significantly researched and explored through this basic research.

As a first project, the foundation is funding the interdisciplinary project ‘BioLumCity’ from this autumn until autumn 2025, which is headed by Prof. DDr. [AT2] Alberto T. Estévez at the Institute for Biodigital Architecture & Genetics (iBAG) at the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC) and the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) at the Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB) under the direction of Dr. Jae-Seong Yang. The foundation is providing funding totalling EUR 150,000 for the project over a period of two years.

BioLumCity (funding 2023-25)

The ‘BioLumCity’ project, which is funded by the Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation and is located between architectural research and bioinformatics, uses bioluminescent, genetically modified bacteria and microalgae for outdoor and indoor lighting applications. The central aim is to create the basis for a multipurpose, multifunctional and multiscale system on the basis of which the bioluminescence capability of organisms could be used sustainably in architecture and design in the future.

Funding for fundamental research

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation is supporting fundamental research projects on building culture and materials with a new programme launched in 2022. Eligible for funding are projects that contribute to minimising CO2 emissions in the construction process - from planning, construction and operation to disposal and reuse - and thus to achieving climate neutrality. The programme is primarily aimed at scientists who respond to these challenges with innovative questions and who work at universities or publicly funded research institutions. There are no fundamental disciplinary restrictions. A project duration of up to three years is possible, with funding of up to EUR 100,000 per year. Innovative projects can be submitted to the foundation at any time.

About the foundation:

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation for Building Culture and Materials is concerned with the relationship between building culture and the conditions of its materialisation. It promotes the development of sustainable building materials and construction methods as well as research into the ecological, functional and atmospheric properties of materials.

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation was established at the end of 2013 and recognised as a non-profit foundation with legal capacity under civil law. Following the constitution of the board of trustees, the foundation's work in terms of content and programme began in 2015.

The foundation bears the name of the entrepreneurial couple Fritz and Trude Fortmann. The chemist and the businessman broke new ground in the development of materials for construction after the Second World War, at a time of architectural and urban development upheaval. It is with this in mind [AT3] that the foundation's field of action is centred around the topic of ‘building culture and materials’ and is being continuously expanded.

More information about the foundation can be found at
www.fortmann-stiftung.de/en

An information brochure on the foundation's activities and funding programmes is available on request.

Ms Naciera Taounza
Secretariat Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation
Universitätsstraße 60
44789 Bochum

phone: +49 234 - 33 88 9 - 320
fax: +49 234 - 33 88 9 - 321

e-mail: taounza@fortmann-stiftung.de

The non-profit Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation for Building Culture and Materials (Bochum/Berlin) will be supporting fundamental research in the field of bioluminescence over the next three years. This refers to the ability of plants, animals and microorganisms to produce natural light - through chemical interactions and without generating any heat. The extent to which this organic potential can find its way into materials research and, in the long term, lead to the development of new, climate-neutral or even climate-positive light sources, such as in building and street lighting, is to be significantly researched and explored through this fundamental research.

From this autumn until autumn 2025, the foundation will be funding a second project, the ‘Superglow’ research project initiated by Prof. Dr. Nico Dissmeyer at the University of Osnabrück in the research field of plant physiology. The foundation is providing a total of EUR 150,000 over a period of two years to fund this project.

Superglow (funding 2023-25)

The ‘Superglow’ research project, funded by the Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation, aims to sustainably research and produce new types of self-luminous wood and plant-based materials and building components - without adding external energy or substances to the light-generating process. In cooperation with arboreal physiologists from the Halle/Leipzig Environmental Research Centre, the first prototypes are to be created - both from a selection of self-luminous trees and shrubs, and in the form of self-luminous wood, which is to be used in furniture design.

Funding for fundamental research

With a new programme launched in 2022, the Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation supports fundamental research projects on building culture and materials. Eligible for funding are projects that contribute to minimising CO2 emissions in the construction process - from planning, construction and operation to disposal and reuse - and thus to achieving climate neutrality. The programme is primarily aimed at scientists who respond to these challenges with innovative questions and who work at universities or publicly funded research institutions. There are no fundamental disciplinary restrictions. A project duration of up to three years is possible, with funding of up to EUR 100,000 per year. Innovative projects can be submitted to the foundation at any time.

About the foundation:

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation for Building Culture and Materials is concerned with the relationship between building culture and the conditions of its materialisation. It promotes the development of sustainable building materials and construction methods as well as research into the ecological, functional and atmospheric properties of materials.

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation was established at the end of 2013 and recognised as a non-profit foundation with legal capacity under civil law. Following the constitution of the board of trustees, the foundation's work in terms of content and programme began in 2015.

The foundation bears the name of the entrepreneurial couple Fritz and Trude Fortmann. The chemist and the businessman broke new ground in the development of materials for construction after the Second World War, at a time of architectural and urban development upheaval. It is with this in mind that the foundation's field of action is centred around the topic of ‘building culture and materials’ and is being continuously expanded.

More information about the foundation can be found at
www.fortmann-stiftung.de 

An information brochure on the foundation's activities and funding programmes is available on request.

Ms Naciera Taounza
Secretariat Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation
University Road 60
44789 Bochum

phone: +49 234 - 33 88 9 - 320
fax: +49 234 - 33 88 9 - 321

e-mail: taounza@fortmann-stiftung.de 

M:A:X:X I . TECHNOSCAP ENGINEERING ARCHITECTURE
MAXXI, the National Museum of 21st Century Art and Architecture, is the first Italian national institution devoted to contemporary creativity.
In the Italian Capital, Rome, the MAXXI museum is at the very heart of contemporary creativity in the architectural community. The museum features examples of architecture and engineering excellence from the 20th and 21st century in a permanent exhibition, and also takes the opportunity to glimpse ahead into the future by displaying latest trends, scientific insight and innovative research in their temporary exhibitions. Both the exhibition spaces for art and architecture are prominently housed in the award-winning building completed in 2009 and designed by Zaha Hadid.

The exhibition TECHNOSCAPE is curated by Pippo Ciorra, Maristella Casciato and will be presented at the Museum in winter 2022/23, intends to tackle the theme of the relationship between technique, creativity and social awareness. The first will focus on the growing role of technology and the thousand forms through which it is occupying the field of architectural design, urban planning and every discipline operating in the space inhabited by man. The second will look deeply into structural engineering, both comparing the current masterpieces with their historical modernist precedents and documenting the contributions of the masters scattered around the four corners of the planet.

Impressions and further information are available from the Technical University of Berlin:
https://www.tu.berlin/ek-massivbau/medien/maxxi 

The Official Site:
https://www.maxxi.art/en/events/technoscape-larchitettura-dellingegneria/ 

A clip showing the construction of the exhibition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRZNldMgDog 

F u n d i n g   2 0 2 2 – 2 0 2 3  /  T U  B e r l i n
Contributing to the temporary exhibition TECHNOSCAPE, the Chair of Conceptual and Structural Design at TU Berlin – under the direction of Prof. Maik Schaich – is showing their latest research in the field of concrete technology. All efforts are directed to contributing to solve some of the pressing challenges of our time: providing high quality housing and infrastructure to an ever growing population on this planet, while at the same time using as little as possible energy and resources.

To reduce the negative impact on the climate and stop the wasteful depletion of natural resources, building materials have to be used to their full potential with respect to strength, form and function. Currently two very different approaches to structural efficiency are being investigated in Berlin. A concrete mix which is lighter than the current definition of lightweight concrete has been developed and branded INFRALIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE. Its insulation properties are of such quality, that an additional insulation layer is no longer necessary and pure structures of merely one material are again possible. On the other end of the spectrum lie the studies on shells and other light structural members made of PRESTRESSED CFRP REINFORCED CONCRETE.

A b o u t   t h e   F o u n da t i o n
The non-profit Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation for building culture and materials deals with architecture and its materialization. It promotes the development of sustainable building materials and construction methods as well as research on the ecological, functional and atmospheric properties of materials.

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation was established at the end of 2013 and recognized as a non-profit foundation under civil law with legal capacity. After the Board of Trustees was constituted in 2015, the content and program of the foundation work began.

The foundation bears the name of the entrepreneurs Fritz and Trude Fortmann.
After the Second World War, in a time of architectural and urban development change, the chemist and the businessman broke new ground in the development of building materials. With this in mind, the foundation's field of action is set and continuously expanded around the topic of “building culture and materials”

Further information:
www.fortmann-stiftung.de 

An information brochure (german language) on the activities and the funding programs of the foundation can be requested.

Frau Naciera Taounza 
Sekretariat Fritz und Trude Fortmann-Stiftung 
Universitätsstraße 60 
44789 Bochum 

fon: +49 234 - 33 88 9 - 320

fax:  +49 234 - 33 88 9 - 321

e-mail: taounza@fortmann-stiftung.de 

www.fortmann-stiftung.de   

In the period from 2022 to 2025, the Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation will fund a research project on biochemical and biotechnological materials research as the first project in this new funding programme. The research project is headed by Prof. Dr. Thomas Brück from the Department of Chemistry at the Werner Siemens Chair of Synthetic Biotechnology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Prof. Dr. Johann Plank, Head of the Chair of Construction Chemistry at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).[AT1] 

The foundation provides funding of EUR 100,000 per research project per year for a period of up to three years, totalling up to EUR 300,000.

Funding for fundamental research
With a new programme launched in 2022, the Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation supports basic research projects on building culture and materials. Eligible for funding are projects that contribute to minimising CO2 in the construction process - from planning, construction and operation to disposal and reuse - and thus to achieving climate neutrality.
The programme is primarily aimed at scientists who respond to these challenges with innovative questions and who work at universities or publicly funded research institutions. There are no fundamental disciplinary restrictions. A project duration of up to three years is possible with funding of up to EUR 100,000 per year. To make initial contact with the Fortmann Foundation, interested researchers are asked to contact the Foundation with a brief description of their research project.

Funding 2022–2025 / TU Munich
The research project is the first to utilise coralline red algae as living performance additives for self-healing binder mixtures in cement mixes. The aim is to support the decarbonisation of the construction industry with a further approach. Research will therefore be conducted into whether biotechnological and biochemical methods can make a positive contribution to increasing the service life of concrete components.

About the foundation:

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation for Building Culture and Materials is concerned with the relationship between building culture and the conditions of its materialisation. It promotes the development of sustainable building materials and construction methods as well as research into the ecological, functional and atmospheric properties of materials.

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation was established at the end of 2013 and recognised as a non-profit foundation with legal capacity under civil law. Following the constitution of the board of trustees, the foundation's work in terms of content and programme began in 2015.

The foundation bears the name of the entrepreneurial couple Fritz and Trude Fortmann. The chemist and the businessman broke new ground in the development of materials for construction after the Second World War, at a time of architectural and urban development upheaval. It is with this in mind that the foundation's field of action is centred around the topic of ‘building culture and materials’ and is being continuously expanded.

More information about the foundation can be found at
www.fortmann-stiftung.de

An information brochure on the foundation's activities and funding programmes is available on request.

Kontakt / Anfragen an:

Frau Naciera Taounza 
Sekretariat Fritz und Trude Fortmann-Stiftung 
Universitätsstraße 60 
44789 Bochum 

fon: +49 234 - 33 88 9 - 320

fax:  +49 234 - 33 88 9 - 321

e-mail: taounza@fortmann-stiftung.de 

www.fortmann-stiftung.de   

In the period from 2023 to 2026, the Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation will fund a project on materials research under the direction of Prof. Dr. Christoph Gehlen (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering) and under the scientific supervision of Prof. em. Dr. Florian Musso (Building Construction and Building Materials Science) at the Technical University of Munich as the second project in this new funding programme.

The foundation provides funding of EUR 100,000 per research project per year for a period of up to three years, totalling up to EUR 300,000.

Funding for fundamental research
The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation is supporting basic research projects on building culture and materials with a new programme launched in 2022. Eligible for funding are projects that contribute to minimising CO2 in the construction process - from planning, construction and operation to disposal and reuse - and thus to achieving climate neutrality. The programme is primarily aimed at scientists who respond to these challenges with innovative questions and who work at universities or publicly funded research institutions. There are no fundamental disciplinary restrictions. A project duration of up to three years is possible, with funding of up to EUR 100,000 per year. Innovative projects can be submitted to the foundation at any time.

Funding 2022-2025 / TU Munich
The project will delve deeper into the topics of a preliminary study on salt mixtures and their possible applications in the construction process that was already supported by the Fortmann Foundation as part of the biennial project funding programme at the Chair of Building Construction and Building Materials Science at the Technical University of Munich under the direction of Prof. em. Dr. Florian Musso. The aim of the three-year research project is to utilise the waste product salt in building materials and to explore its potential in further studies.

About the foundation:

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation for Building Culture and Materials is concerned with the relationship between building culture and the conditions of its materialisation. It promotes the development of sustainable building materials and construction methods as well as research into the ecological, functional and atmospheric properties of materials.

The Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation was established at the end of 2013 and recognised as a non-profit foundation with legal capacity under civil law. Following the constitution of the board of trustees, the foundation's work in terms of content and programme began in 2015.

The foundation bears the name of the entrepreneurial couple Fritz and Trude Fortmann. The chemist and the businessman broke new ground in the development of materials for construction after the Second World War, at a time of architectural and urban development upheaval. It is with this in mind that the foundation's field of action is centred around the topic of ‘building culture and materials’ and is being continuously expanded.

More information about the foundation can be found at
www.fortmann-stiftung.de

Ms Naciera Taounza
Secretariat Fritz and Trude Fortmann Foundation
University Road 60
44789 Bochum

phone: +49 234 - 33 88 9 - 320

fax: +49 234 - 33 88 9 – 321