Support Locals!

At Christmas, we traditionally donate to a regional social project. This year, as part of this tradition, we are donating 1,000 euros to the "Einfach Helfen Bergstraße e.V." association. This charity, founded in 2013, engages with local people who, by no fault of their own, are facing difficult life situations and are in urgent need of help.

The initiators all work on a voluntary basis. There are no administrative costs, so that every euro donated benefits those in need. Especially families, children and young people as well as elderly people form a focus of the organization.

"We are impressed by this unbureaucratic proceeding, which guarantees that help can be given quickly where help is urgently needed," said the two Planen & Bauen managing directors Dieter Blumenschein and Volker Reiling when handing over the donation to Heike Koser-Jung from the association's board of directors.

We, the team of Planen & Bauen GmbH, have been avoiding Christmas presents for a long time and instead support local social institutions or projects.

Historical step into the future

Planen & Bauen GmbH is heading in a new direction and has recently become a part of the SPIE Group. With this we join the independent European market leader for multi-technical services in the sectors of energy and communication.

As general planer who provides all architectural, engineering and specialist planning services, we are well placed to take part in SPIE's operations. Jointly, we would like to push subjects such as data centers, but also fire protection or healthcare.

We are proud to have ventured this step and are looking forward to the integration as well as to the common future with SPIE with many new challenging projects!

From a working student to a site manager - Interview with Fabian Fischer

Fabian is 26 years old and recently finished studying architecture at the Darmstadt University of applied sciences. After completing his master’s degree, he is now working for Planen & Bauen GmbH in Bensheim as a permanent employee in construction management. In this Interview, Fabian will tell us about his studies and how he started his career as a regular employee and his current situation. 

What’s your name and where are you from?

“My name is Fabian Fischer, I am 26 years young and grew up in Kirschhausen, a district of Heppenheim. Currently I live in Heppenheim an der Bergstraße.”

What do you like best about Planen & Bauen GmbH? How did you find out about Planen & Bauen GmbH?

“I find that there is a strong cohesion in the office. I already learned to appreciate this as a student. If you have any questions or need to know something, there will always be someone to help, and you will never be alone with your problems. On the other hand, you can also take responsibility and grow from your own actions.

I became aware of Planen & Bauen because I do the same sport as the management assistant in Bensheim and we therefor already knew each other outside of work. When he found out I was studying architecture, we started talking and he arranged an interview for me. Since everything went well, I was able to start as a working student at Planen & Bauen GmbH. That was four years ago already.”

When did you realize you wanted to study something related to architecture?

“Studying architecture was already my dream back in secondary school. Back then, I did some internships in architecture and interior design offices. These really excited me and made me realize that this would be the way to go for me.”

What do you like most about your studies?

“The whole creative design process through to the completion of an object. The thought that originates in the head, which is brought to paper with a pencil as a sketch, then further developed in the model and drawing program, and finally emerged as a physical building or space. In short: the design idea that develops spatially in a perceptible and tangible way."

What does your current everyday work-life look like?

"While studying full-time, it was sometimes difficult to clear my head of the other both at work and at university. In the end, I feel it was right for me, as I was able to find my way into practice early during my studies. This made it easier for me to combine practice and theory and to apply theoretical knowledge and expand my understanding of certain procedures and processes.”

What did you do before you started your studies?

"I went to secondary school and then did my vocational baccalaureate in construction technology at the Heinrich Metzendorf School in Bensheim. After that, I first did a Bachelor of Arts in architecture at the University of Applied Sciences in Darmstadt and then built on that to do a Master of Engineering."

Where did you complete the theoretical part of your studies?

“I studied at the university in Darmstadt, the had (former FH).”

 How do you see your development opportunities for the future?

“Good question. First of all, I find it important to settle in the fulltime job and am able to successfully complete my projects. The next step for me is to become a member of the ‘Architekten- und Stadtplanerkammer Hessen (AHK)’ and therefor collect points and practical experiences.

What advice can you give others who want to study something in your field?

“Run! …just kidding, I can advise a dual study program. From my personal experience, I only see advantages in terms of theory and practical work. I find it makes it much easier to start a career. Theoretically, there is no difference between theory and practice. But practically, there is.”

What do you do in your free time?

“My passion is rope skipping, the acrobatic rope skipping. I have been a part of the TG Rüsselsheim for about 20 years. Our greatest successes have included setting German records as well as European and world championship titles.

In addition to that, I really enjoy cooking and traveling to all sorts of places. I prefer sightseeing holidays (and looking at all kinds of different architecture), rather than taking a beach holiday.”

Follow us on Instagram to find out more about Fabian and our other apprentices.

 Interested in an apprenticeship or a dual study partner? Apply at !

Dual studies at Planen & Bauen GmbH - Interview with Marcel Blandon Montes

Marcel is 29 years old and is a studying civil engineering at the Dualen Hochschule Baden-Württemberg in Mosbach. She has chosen Planen & Bauen GmbH as her partner for the practical part of her education. She works in Bensheim in the site management department.

What’s your name and where are you from?

“My name is Marcel Blandon Montes and I am originally from Mallorca, Spain, but I grew up in Malaga.” 

What do you like best about Planen & Bauen GmbH?

“My colleagues as well as the atmosphere. We laugh a lot.”

How did you come across Planen & Bauen GmbH?

“I was searching for a partner for my dual education on the website of the DHBW (Dualen Hochschule Baden-Württemberg) and this is where I came across Planen & Bauen GmbH.

What did you do before you started your studies?

“In 2017 I completed my training as a draughtswoman in Spain. In 2018 I joined Planen & Bauen GmbH.” 

What did you do before you started your studies?

“I always wanted to be a civil engineer! So, I decided to start an education in the construction field.”

What do you like best about your studies?

“I like the variety, combining what I learn in theory and being able to practically use it.” 

Where are you completing the theoretical part of your studies?

“At the ‘DHBW’ in Mosbach, but currently classes are being held online.”

How do you see your development chances for the future?

“I want to focus on environmental-friendly construction. I believe that young people have the possibility and the technology to change the future.”

What advice can you give others who are interested in studying something in your field?

“The dual system is the best option. You learn in theory but at the same time collect experiences in practice.”

What do you like to do in your free time?

“Hiking, climbing, reading, and lots of other things as well. It really depends on where I am. As an example, in Malaga I like to bodysurf. I’ve got lots of hobbies but very little time.”

Follow us on Instagram to find out more about Marcel and our other apprentices.

Interested in an apprenticeship or a dual study partner? Apply at !

The day of youth - projects for children and young people by Planen & Bauen GmbH

“Basically, people only have two desires: to grow old but to stay young at the same time.” – Peter Bamm

No age is like adolescence – August 12^th, known as the International Day of Youth since 1999, reminds us of every year. 

As Planen & Bauen GmbH, we regularly contribute to the profitable improvement of everyday life for children and young people. Our projects for young people include, for example, the refurbishment of various school buildings and sports halls, the preparation of fire protection and rescue plans for educational institutions, and the planning of day-care centers and cafeterias.

In our increasingly diverse society, it is important to promote the harmonious coexistence of young and old while respecting the needs of everyone. As specialists in barrier-free building and living, we contribute towards this every day. In addition, for the past 20 years we have been focusing on training young people in different commercial and engineering fields. 

For the society of tomorrow.

For more detailed information on our projects and services visit https://planen-bauen.eu/leistungen#barrierefreiheit. We are happy to accept applications from those interested in training at . 

The new branch office of Planen & Bauen GmbH in Hamburg!

A few months ago, we opened our new branch office in Hamburg. Now Planen & Bauen GmbH can not only be found in Bensheim and Frankfurt, but we now also have an office in the northern part of Germany. 

A nice plus about our office is that it is in the premises of the SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa GmbH in Hamburg. This will strengthen internal cooperation. 

The office is centrally located at the Deelbögenkamp near the Alster and is easily accessible by public transportation. Multiple shopping facilities, leisure activities and restaurants can be found nearby, which means that we are fully integrated in the metropolitan life.

Our next challenge in Hamburg is the expansion of our new branch – we have big plans! Therefore, we will need many new employees who will actively support us in Hamburg. We are looking forward to your application at .

Laying the foundation stone FRA17

For our long-term client Interxion: A Digital Realty Company, with which we have already built several data centers, a spacious campus is currently being constructed in Frankfurt am Main. This site is going to be the future home of the newest generation of data centers. 

The first building to be built on this new ‘Campus Digital Park Fechenheim’ is the data center FRA17. We, Planen & Bauen GmbH, are responsible for the phases 1 to 8: from design, approval, statics, thermal insulation, execution phase, to construction supervision as well as the coordination of the specialized planners. A special feature of the ‘Campus Digital Park Fechenheim’ is that the protected monument the ‘Eiermann-Gebäude’ will be preserved and integrated into the planned new buildings. 

The laying of the foundation stone for this large project FRA17 took place on August 26^th, 2021. The building will be completed by the end of 2022. 

More information on our other data centers as well as many other exciting projects can be found on our website, blog, and social media channels.

Are you interested in becoming part of our team? We are looking forward to receiving your application at !

Escape and rescue plans from experts

In Germany, there are about 200,000 house fires every year. Fire hazards in buildings generally result from human error, technical issues or natural forces.

This makes it very important to invest in an all-embracing, safe fire protection plan which can save lives and protect property in case of a damaging event.

An essential part of these fire protection plans is the preparation and review of safe escape and rescue plans. Like this, even before one of these events takes place, the people inside the building have the chance to independently inform themselves on how to escape or where to find tools that could become useful in case of an emergency. In the event of an emergency, these escape and rescue plans can help as an orientation and allow a quick and safe escape.

According to legal requirements, these plans must therefore be checked every two years to ensure that they are up to date and adapted if necessary.

Planen & Bauen GmbH employs its own fire protection experts who check, optimise and approve existing escape and rescue plans. In addition, our in-house expertise extends to the creation of comprehensive fire protection concepts as well as customised fire protection consultations.

Do not hesitate and contact our experts at . We look forward to helping you!

SPIE Soccer Challenge Cup

On 14 May, our colleagues (from left to right) Markus Klappert, Eva Bickelhaupt, Pascal Langohr, Tino Gölz, Stefan Gröss, Isabelle Sattler-Bode, Volker Reiling, Makfirete Ahmeti, Marcel Blandòn Montes, Denis Kosciuk, Björn Zeißler and Bojan Sentic represented Planen & Bauen GmbH as 1st FC PuB in Düsseldorf at the SPIE Soccer Challenge Cup.

The tournament started with an official welcome by Markus Holzke, the Managing Director of SPIE Deutschland & Zentraleuropa GmbH, of which Planen & Bauen GmbH is a part.

During the tournament, there was sufficient catering in the form of drinks and cake for the teams and the accompanying fans. Afterwards, there was a BBQ buffet as a joint event.

Our team under captain Bickelhaupt and coach Zeißler was able to take a solid place in the midfield and experienced an exciting and varied day in Düsseldorf. And of course the ambition is aroused to achieve an even better place next year.

FRA17 update – the shell construction is finished

Our long-term client Interxion: A Digital Realty Company is implementing a major data center construction project. The large premises, which used to be a branch of the shipping wholesaler Neckarmann, are currently being turned into the large, modern ‘Campus Digital Park Fechenheim’. The first building to be built here is the data center FRA17.

After laying the foundation stone in in August 2021, the shell of FRA17 has now been completed. The next steps following are the interior construction as well as setting up the generator stage. FRA17 is the first data center to be built by Planen & Bauen GmbH with the generators being placed in a separate steel construction rather than being placed under the roof or in the basement.

The completion of the first stage, where parts of the building can already be used, is scheduled for summer 2022. The entire completion is scheduled for the following winter.

We, Planen & Bauen GmbH, are responsible for the phases one to eight: from the design, approval, statics, thermal insulation, execution phase, construction supervision and coordination of the specialized planners.

To find out more about our other data center buildings as well as many other exciting projects run by us, visit our homepage, our blog and our social media platforms.

Are you interested in becoming part our team? We are looking forward to receiving your application at .

To mark World Environment Day: FRA17 goes green

Environmental protection is a topic that affects everyone and receives special attention in all Planen & Bauen GmbH projects. On the occasion of International Environment Day on June 5^th, we would thus like to inform about the environmentally friendly elements in the design of the Digital Park Fechenheim, including our data centre FRA17.

The modern data centre FRA17 is currently being constructed in Frankfurt as the first building on the Digital Park Fechenheim, which is currently under construction for our long-standing client Interxion: A Digital Realty Company. Part of the structure is a comprehensive roof and façade greening concept. Flowering meadows for insects and large grassy areas will be created on the grounds around FRA17. The entire site profits from a park-like design, which will counteract the formation of heat islands. In addition to the preservation of existing trees, large-scale replacement planting will be carried out.

A retention basin will be created as an open water area that serves as a watering place for birds and insects and provides a habitat for amphibians. In addition, the evaporation of rainwater via the retention basin provides evaporative cooling. Enclosed wooded areas with high foliage expand the habitat of birds and bats. Reptile shelters will be created in the form of deadwood, sand and rubble mounds. In addition, insect hotels and bird houses will provide further sheltered dwellings.

For more information on our other data centre builds, as well as our many other exciting projects, visit our homepage, blog and social channels. Interested in working with us? We are always happy to receive applications to .

Start your future with PLANEN & BAUEN GMBH!

Would you like to launch your career in a varied working environment with a wide range of prospects? Then get in touch with us!

For more than 20 years, Planen & Bauen GmbH has been training junior staff for the German and international skilled labour market in various areas of the architecture and construction industry. We look forward to serve as your competent partner for your future-proof training.

In 2022, we have once again been certified as a training company by the Darmstadt Chamber of Industry and Commerce. We at Planen & Bauen GmbH are proud to be countinuing reliable support for the labour market.

Interested? We are more than happy to accept applications at !