Front view of the simple three-story Max Planck Institute for Structure and Dynamics of Matter. The use of different window formats on each floor cleverly breaks up the building envelope.

A clearly structured new building for research on dynamic phenomena in matter

An Institute with a bridging function between two sections of the Max Planck Society

The Max Planck Institute for Structure and Dynamics of Matter was founded with the aim of researching the properties of matter on nanoscopic length and ultrashort time scales.

View of the construction site from the upper floor via the stairs, which still have a wooden railing, into the reception hall, which is still under construction and therefore completely covered with scaffolding. — **Scaffolding construction** - Max Planck Institute for Structure and Dynamics of Matter

**Scaffolding construction** - Max Planck Institute for Structure and Dynamics of Matter

On November 23, 2012, the Senate of the Max Planck Society founded the Institute for Research into the Structure and Dynamics of Matter. In particular, the rapid successes in the construction of free electron lasers (FEL) and the development of ultrafast X-ray and electron beam techniques as well as pulse techniques that cover the entire electromagnetic spectrum. The conquest of time scales in the attosecond range provides the tools for observing and manipulating matter on previously inaccessible length and time scales.

In addition to researching the electronic and structural dynamics of solids, the focus is also on gaining new insights into the structure and function of biological materials. The experimental results are accompanied by theoretical studies in all areas in order to comprehensively explain the observations and enable a profound understanding.

This requires the creation of appropriate rooms for researchers to use with highly sensitive technical devices. The laboratories sometimes have high demands on temperature, purity and climatic conditions. For example, these had to be built at ground level and without vibrations.

The Institute emerged from the two Max Planck Research Groups for structural dynamics at the CFEL (Center for Free-Electron Laser), which, in addition to the MPG, also includes the University of Hamburg (HHU) and the German Electron Synchrotron DESY (Helmholtz Association) are involved. A research building was completed for the CFEL on the Bahrenfeld campus of the University of Hamburg in 2012, in which the two departments can continue to be accommodated rent-free by the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. Two thirds of the required total area of the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter was housed in a partially new building in the immediate vicinity.