Exhibition on the FAIR Construction at the Architektur Galerie Berlin
Form Follows Beam by ion42 / DGI Bauwerk • schneider+schumacher
08.09.2026 |
FAIR is a particle accelerator of superlative proportions. The exhibition “Form Follows Beam. Architektur für einen Teilchenbeschleuniger” at the Architektur Galerie Berlin showcases how its architecture is taking shape. From September 4 to October 10, 2026, the ion42 consortium (DGI Bauwerk and schneider+schumacher) will provide insights into the construction of this mega-research facility through photos and multimedia content. The exhibition opened on September 3.
Following the welcome remarks at the exhibition opening by gallery director Ulrich Müller, Dr. Ingo Peter, head of press and public relations, explained the scientific significance: “FAIR—the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research—currently under construction at the GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt plays a central role in establishing Germany’s standing as a leading scientific hub on the international stage. FAIR is creating a unique research infrastructure: an underground ring accelerator with a circumference of 1,100 meters, storage rings, and experimental stations. Here, researchers can simulate the universe in the laboratory through unprecedented experiments. But it is not only the research that is unique—the architecture is as well. That is precisely why we are here today: to show how science and design form an exciting and one-of-a-kind union.”
The architects Bernd Tibes and Kai Otto explained the origins of the project, noting that the two companies, DGI Bauwerk and schneider+schumacher, joined forces to form the ion42 consortium to take on the task of planning a project of this magnitude. The name combines the word “ion” (a charged particle) with the number 42, which, in Douglas Adams’ cult classic „The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy“, is the answer to “the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything.”
The exhibition illustrates the complexity of the planning and construction phases through plans, texts, and models. This information is supplemented by photographs by Kirsten Bucher and Norbert Miguletz, who have been documenting the extraordinary dimensions of the construction site and its progress on a monthly basis for years. This material, along with additional texts and explanations, forms the content of the book *Form Follows Beam*, published by Park Books for this occasion. It not only highlights the challenges of the project but also underscores the central role of architectural design, which often remains hidden in structures with facilities determined by technical requirements. In this sense, the exhibition and the book serve as an impressive testament to the successful work at the intersections of architecture and infrastructure, and architecture and science.
schneider+schumacher was founded in 1988 by Till Schneider and Michael Schumacher in Frankfurt am Main and today has offices in Berlin, Frankfurt am Main, Vienna, as well as Tianjin and Shenzhen (China). DGI Bauwerk was founded in 1985 by Bernd Tibes in Berlin and has offices in Frankfurt am Main and Hamburg; in 2025, it merged with léonwohlhage Architekten. (LW/ion42)
