Zeiss Bau 36

Zeiss Bau 36 is a 66-meter high concrete office tower with 15 floors built as part of the Carl Zeiss industrial complex in Jena. The facade features a restrained design with regularly spaced windows outlined by masonry frames that give the building its structured appearance.

Architects Georg Steinmetz and Hans Hertlein designed this administrative building in 1935 for the Carl Zeiss company. It was constructed during a period when Jena was a major center for optical manufacturing and the city was expanding rapidly.

The sculpture 'Through Night to Light' by Joseph Wackerle at the entrance connects the building to Jena's optical technology heritage. The artwork shapes how visitors experience the entrance and shows how art and industry coexist in this space.

The building currently serves as the main headquarters for Jenoptik AG within the historic Carl Zeiss industrial complex in central Jena. Walking through the surrounding factory area helps visitors understand the building's original role as the corporate command center.

Laser equipment in the adjacent Building 15 can project light displays onto the facade of this structure during special events. These temporary light compositions transform the building into a moving canvas and create an interplay between its architecture and modern light technology.

Location: Jena

Inception: 1935

Architects: Georg Steinmetz, Hans Hertlein

Part of: ehemaliges Zeiss-Hauptwerk, Bau 10, Bau 13 und Verwaltungshochhaus

GPS coordinates: 50.92810,11.58080

Latest update: December 11, 2025 11:08