Ruffini Houses, Munich

Baroque outside, modern technology inside

The Ruffini Houses in the heart of Munich look like a historical ensemble of buildings from different baroque eras. In reality, however, the large and diverse buildings were built in the neo-baroque style to plans by architect Gabriel von Seidl between 1903 and 1905.
The buildings have been extensively revitalised in recent years. The traditional shops –which have since been relocated – have turned to the ground floor, while the top floors houses offices for the Munich municipal administration.
To keep the air conditioning in the attic rooms as constant as possible, the choice fell on chilled beams in the perforated suspend ceiling on the one hand, and the silent gravity cooling system GraviVent® on the other. The system is operated with energy-efficient, cost-effective district cooling, which saves more than half of the primary energy consumption while reducing CO² emissions.

Architecturally completely inconspicuous apart from the filigree linear grilles, the silent gravity cooling ensures thermal and air-hygenic comfort, essential for concentrated work. The silent operation without ventilation and without draughts creates a pleasant room climate through natural convection. In addition, the system is energy-efficient and requires little maintenance.