Pergamonmuseum Berlin

Upgrading the air handling technology is particularly challenging.
Berlin’s Museum Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the German capital’s visitor highlights. The extremely popular Pergamon Museum is an important part of the museum complex. Having started in 2013, a complete renovation is taking place section by section over a timeframe of many years. The project takes into account the building’s listed status and associated regulations. Upgrading the air handling technology is particularly challenging.

Linear diffusers ensure fresh air in the exhibit room
The detailed planning of the building services involves intensive cooperation with three different planning offices in line with the various phases of planning, design and implementation. The Stuttgart-based ventilation experts at Kiefer Klimatechnik GmbH already have many years of experience in properly ventilating museums and exhibitions. Norbert Hinderer, a Kiefer sales engineer, reports: “Museums are extremely exciting assignments. That is why, following an intensive and constructive planning process, there was majority agreement among the building services design engineers to use INDUL linear diffusers for air management. As well as being unobtrusive after installation, the special free air jet feature prevents dirt building up along the air diffuser. This keeps ceilings free of dust for longer. The extremely high induction rate also enables draught-free operation even at very low supply air temperatures. Split into millimetre-thin individual jets of air, the supply air is channelled into the room at a 45 degree angle, alternating between left and right. This creates a pleasant atmosphere in the temperature-controlled exhibit rooms – without any discernible draught.

Unobtrusive installation in the illuminated ceiling
For an aesthetic ceiling design, the linear diffusers can be easily integrated into all ceiling joints. At the Pergamon Museum they were positioned with precision around the edge of the illuminated ceiling. As a result, they are unobtrusive to visitors and meet the high architectural requirements. Because the installation level for the air handling technology is separate from the illuminated ceiling, special geometric designs for the plenum boxes were required to save space in this particular connection configuration.

In some rooms, tapestries will be displayed on the walls. To stop these wall hangings from moving, it was necessary to compromise on the required high discharge momentum for the supply air via the linear diffusers, the directional momentum of the supply air and the rapid reduction in velocity. The reverberant design of some of the exhibit rooms also made the planning process more complex. The reference value for the average reverberation time in new museum buildings is approx. 1.5 s. During the planning phase, measurements of the building acoustics and simulations gave a real estimated reverberation time of 3–8 s for each room. This meant that the existing air handling solutions needed to be re-engineered. The extensive level of planning paid off as confirmed when work actually commenced in early 2020 on upgrading the Telephos Hall. The rest of the upgrade is now proceeding room by room.

Special solution for the new Tempietto entrance building
As the main entrance and to access the future Archaeological Promenade, the Pergamon Museum is to have a new construction in the courtyard in front of the main building. Known as the “Tempietto”, this small temple is a steel and glass construction and a contemporary interpretation of the entrance portal. With an almost entirely transparent design, the only place for the air flow path is in the plinth area. Special diffusers based on the INDUQUELL DIV are being used as surface outlets. These are circumferential and installed out of the visitors’ sight behind an approx. 40 cm high cast iron lattice. The diffuser geometry and discharge characteristics of the supply air were adjusted to take account of the latticework and were calibrated during the planning phase. In the case of displacement air systems, the supply air is channelled into the interior gently with low turbulence. The advantages of this are low air velocities and virtually silent operation. Displacement air flows produce a temperature profile that rises over the room height. This brings the fresh air directly to the visitors and creates high air quality in the occupied zone. Displacement outlets are suitable for ceiling, wall, balustrade or plinth installation. Due to a high temperature differential of down to -8 K they are both powerful and energy efficient.

Sales engineer Norbert Hinderer is standing by for the second phase of construction: “The first exhibit room has already been completed with more rooms now set to follow. The first phase of construction is due for completion in 2025. Planning has already begun on the second phase of construction which will follow on from then.” Upon full completion of the work, it will be possible for visitors to tour right around the Pergamon Museum.