Architects and Engineers

New location, proven expertise: Our Braunschweig office has moved

Since January 1, 2025, our Braunschweig office has been operating from a new location – more centrally located, significantly more spacious, and offering a brighter work environment with more room and, therefore, more opportunities. This move within the city marks an important step toward the future for us: more space for interdisciplinary collaboration, fresh momentum for innovative planning, and, above all, the opportunity to continue growing our team. What matters to us: Even though the address has changed, our experienced team’s commitment to quality and precision remains unchanged. We’re looking forward to the next chapters in this modern environment – and to everyone who visits us there.

In this reflective time of the year, we would like to take a moment to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, restful holidays, and a happy New Year. With this Christmas greeting, we sincerely thank our team for their dedication as well as our customers and planning partners for their trust and excellent cooperation. Enjoy the holiday season and – just like us – start the new year with renewed energy! https://ic-l.de/en/Xmas/

A Glimpse into the Future of Steel – Visit to Peiner Träger GmbH

In November, part of our structural engineering team had the opportunity to visit Peiner Träger GmbH. The focus of the visit was on “green steel” – a key component in the move toward more sustainable construction practices. Following a technical exchange on low-CO₂ structural steel production, the team toured the steel and rolling mill. This provided direct insights into innovative approaches to reducing emissions and modern manufacturing processes. The experience highlighted the growing importance of climate-friendly materials in the construction industry – a topic that is becoming increasingly relevant in our own projects as well.

A sincere thank you to Peiner Träger GmbH for the valuable insights and the well-organized visit!

At our planning office, we place great emphasis on nurturing young talents. With a dedicated team of experienced trainers and experts possessing extensive knowledge, we offer top-quality training for the professionals of tomorrow. At our locations in Langenhagen and Braunschweig, we train aspiring draftspersons, guiding them as they transition into professional practice. Our focus lies on tailored support, hands-on learning, and active involvement in real-world projects. For our dual students at our Langenhagen headquarter and Munich branch, we create the ideal synergy between theory and practice. Close collaboration with universities and integration into our teams ensures excellent opportunities for growth and development. Our training and study programs are designed to foster talents and integrate them into our team for the long term. We are always thrilled when, after completing their training or studies, the journey with IC-L continues.

At the beginning of September, we celebrated a courtyard party in perfect weather conditions. Nine creative stations, thoughtfully designed and enthusiastically run by our colleagues, provided plenty of fun and even sparked a bit of competitive spirit. The station that attracted the most attention was the one where participants had to guess childhood photos. At the end, the top three participants were awarded prizes. For food and drinks, we had a burger food truck and the popular "Anhänger-Bar" on hand to serve the guests. In a relaxed atmosphere, the IC-L team rounded off the day in a cosy and informal setting. We were especially pleased to welcome some of our colleagues from Poland, who travelled specifically to join us for this casual get-together.

What an unforgettable day! Last Friday, our company outing, together with our colleagues from MUCK Ingenieure Innovative Tragwerksplanung GmbH, took us on a canoe trip from Breitenfurt to Eichstätt – a beautiful route through stunning natural landscapes.

But that wasn’t all: the adventure continued with thrilling scenic flights at the Eichstätt airfield! From up in the air, we were able to enjoy the picturesque landscape from a completely new perspective. A perfect ending to an unforgettable day!

A big thank you to the Fliegerclub Eichstätt for making this experience possible!

We are thrilled to announce an exciting new corporation! The world of industrial construction and architecture is reinterpreted through the lens of the exceptionally talented photographer Max Ott. His masterful play with phototachism introduces a fresh, innovative perspective to photography, transforming industrial landscapes and architectural structures into art.

 Max Ott, known for his ability to capture the essence of his subjects, has managed to seize the impressive beauty of industrial construction with his camera. Each of his works not only tells its own story but also highlights the hidden aesthetics and attention to detail. This collaboration promises to transport us into a world where photography and architecture merge in a stunning visual language.

With his artistic contributions, Max Ott has enriched the Munich IC-L by redefining the interface between technology and art through his unique perspectives. His works are not only an enhancement to the spaces but also offer viewers an inspiring outlook on the interplay of industrial architecture and photographic mastery. This play between Max Ott's vision and the Munich IC-L underscores the potential of photography to transform spaces and broaden the perception of industrial aesthetics.

Since February, and continuing until April this year, we have been on a shared journey to deepen our communication skills. In various sessions, we have been focusing intensively on the art of communication, intentionally stepping away from the everyday office environment. Alongside improving our communication competencies and developing individual skills, one of our key goals is to strengthen our foundation: a strong, unified team that works together with trust.

This first-time training series also highlights IC-L's commitment to the personal and professional development of each team member and aims to contribute to the ongoing strengthening of collaboration and team building.

A heartfelt thank you to all who have participated so far and to those looking forward to the upcoming sessions. It is the dedication and willingness to learn from each and every one of us that defines us as a company and helps us build a culture of understanding and openness together.

Our Munich office has once again proven their expertise with the ambitious construction project "BioCampusMulitPilot" at the Straubing-Sand port. As an integral part of the general planner team, we have been responsible for the urban development and the design planning for this pioneering multi-purpose demonstration facility from phases 1-4. Our focus was on creating a platform for the development of industrial biotechnology processes—a field that is gaining increasing importance in light of the global shift towards sustainable solutions. Our BIM experts have developed a detailed model that will not only increase planning efficiency but also be of invaluable help during the construction process and beyond for maintenance and management of the building. We are proud that our Munich branch has filed the building application and obtained the building permit. The recent groundbreaking marks the beginning of the construction phase, which will be implemented by a general contractor based on our meticulous plans. We thank our clients for their trust in us and our employees for making this vision a reality with passion and teamwork. The BioCampusMulitPilot is another example of our efforts to realize innovative and sustainable solutions in industrial construction and to shape the future of biotechnology.

We kicked off the 2023 training year at IC-L with great enthusiasm and welcome three new apprentices who have started their careers as draftswomen and draftsmen with us. These fresh talents, two of whom are beginning their journey in the first year of training and one in the second year, bring new energy and perspectives to our team. They join four other apprentices who are already part of our IC-L family. These experienced apprentices, two of whom are in their third year and two in their second year, are a living example of how to counter the prevalent shortage of skilled workers. In addition, we are proud to employ another 16 working students who contribute their valuable knowledge in various areas of the company. These students are active at our headquarters in Langenhagen and at our branches in Braunschweig and Munich. Since the founding of IC-L, we have already supported around fifty young people in their professional development. We continue our commitment to train future professionals in the fields of drafting, civil engineering, and architecture. We look forward to the dynamism and new perspectives that these young ladies and gentlemen bring to our team and wish all our apprentices and working students a successful and fulfilling journey at IC-L.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of our location in Munich, we popped the corks. A flying buffet featuring regional and international specialties, presentations by renowned experts like Max Ott, who seamlessly combines photography and industrial construction, and exciting innovations such as driving simulations and VR project tours underscored our path of continuous development.

The festive atmosphere reflected the unity of our team, and with a toast, we honored the past successes while looking forward to future projects with new challenges in the realm of digital planning and sustainable planning approaches. Munich, the journey continues, and tomorrow begins NOW - here's to the next 10 years! We create spaces for a better US!

Our IC-L company outing this year was a real highlight! With optimal hiking conditions – partly sunny and pleasantly mild – we started out early in the morning in Langenhagen, and made our way to Niederhaverbeck.

Nestled within a picturesque heath and juniper landscape, accompanied by experienced and, above all, passionate hiking guides, we explored the surroundings and enjoyed nature’s impressive bounty. It was not only a day of hiking, but also a chance to get to know each other and see each other once more. With colleagues from Langenhagen, Braunschweig, Poland and Munich at our side, the day turned into a true inter-office experience.

After our hike, we were treated to culinary delights at the “Zum Heidemuseum” inn. The exuberant mood continued; while some of us went on to enjoy a “relaxed” carriage ride afterwards, others put their walking shoes back on to discover even more of the surroundings. Later, everyone met in the cosy restaurant “Landhaus Haverbeckhof”, where we ended the day with good food, drinks and pleasant conversation. Our structural engineers were particularly impressed by the inn’s roof construction.

It was an all-round successful day that we will remember for many years to come. A big thank you to everyone who contributed, and especially to the organising team! See you next time!

The time had finally come: the long-awaited IC-L Cup was held in the fresh summer air on 2 June 2023. A football tournament that not only expresses our passion for the sport, but also emphasises the strong bond between our planning partners.

Teams from Drees & Sommer, Goldbeck, IB Zammit, I-MF Ingenieurgesellschaft Meinhardt Fulst, PSP Architekten Ingenieure, Sellhorn Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH and of course IC-L competed in a thrilling competition that was hard to beat for excitement! All the teams demonstrated their huge commitment and team spirit, but in the end the victory, and therefore the coveted trophy, went to IB Zammit. We warmly congratulate IB Zammit on their well-deserved triumph!

However, we had another significant success away from the pitch and the action-packed matches. Together, we managed to raise over €2,500 for a local association that helps women and girls who have experienced violence. A big thank you to the companies involved for their generous donations.

The victory celebration after the tournament gave us all the opportunity to recognise the achievements of the teams and strengthen the bonds of our partnerships, So the IC-L Cup 2023 will remain as one of our best memories...

IC-L Poznan, our branch office in Poland, moved to larger office premises on 1 January 2021; a move that was prompted by the company‘s growth and an increasing number of orders.

The long-awaited inauguration ceremony had to be postponed several times due to the ongoing pandemic, but finally took place on 12 May 2023 in beautiful weather and in an atmosphere of high spirits. Employees, partner companies and clients came together to celebrate the joyous event for the office.

IC-L Poznan has gained a reputation as a trusted partner in the engineering industry with a team of eight dedicated and competent professionals. The office has established a strong presence in Poland over recent years, providing outstanding planning services and contributing to the success of a wide range of projects.

The move to the new office premises marks an inspiring chapter in the growth story of IC-L Ingenieur Consulting Langenhagen GmbH & Co. KG. The modern premises are bathed in light, provide space for our growing client base and enable the team in Poland to continue to offer added value through their expertise and innovative solutions. We wish you the very best of luck in the new premises!

The year is coming to a close, and Christmas is around the corner. At this juncture, we wish you the warmest Christmas greetings at the end of the year and everyone a reflective time to relax and unwind.
We also wish to thank our staff for their wonderful commitment and our business partners for the trusting and respectful collaboration. All have helped the joint effort to create our success, and we are grateful that we can rely on each other.
We look to the future with confidence, and we trust that we will also carry on co-operating so successfully next year. We wish you all the best, good luck and, more than anything, good health for the new year. Merry Christmas and a good start to the New Year!
 

This year we are pleased to have four trainees at IC-L. Two of them started in August in the first year of apprenticeship. One trainee advanced into the second year of apprenticeship, and a fourth began his third apprenticeship year as a draftsman. We are especially proud that we were able to take on all of our three fully trained draftswomen; one of them even as a student trainee. So, all twelve student trainees at our headquarters and in our Braunschweig office are contributing to the company’s success with their already acquired know-how. On top of that we employ four prospective civil engineers/architects on their dual study course at our offices in Langenhagen and Munich.

Since IC-L was founded, we have helped some forty young people start up in their professional field, and still feel obliged to train future specialists. We wish all prospective draftsmen/draftswomen, civil engineers and architects a lot of fun and primarily every success!

IC-L has kitted out the second men’s football team of SSV Remlingen, which plays in the “2nd Nordharzklasse Staffel 3”, with a new kit and tracksuits. During the handover, our Managing Director Philippe Hörsting, who is part of this team, said: “The joy of playing football and exercising within the wider community are clearly in the foreground.” But the idea of competition is not neglected either, and at the end of the previous season 21/22, the team celebrated its promotion to the current league.

IC-L supports grassroots sports not only in the north, but also in the south of the country. 30 children of the F-youth division at TSV Geiselbullach also received new kits. The handover for the new kits took place on 14.09.2022 at the training ground by our Munich branch manager, Thorsten Strauß, and our colleague David Janda, who volunteers as a coach. The team started the new season successfully on the very next match day. In an away match in Gernlinden/ Maisach, the Bullach team defeated their opponents 1:5 despite trailing 1:0, and proved once again that a strong team spirit and sense of joy can lead to success.

We wish both teams much fun, luck and success for the new season!

Since 2018, IC-L has been commissioned to provide consultancy support in the planning of the upgrading of the assembly hall at VW Autoeuropa in Palmela, south of Lisbon. The assembly hall is to be made fit for the future with new production facilities, in order to meet the latest requirements. Since retrofitting measures are usually accompanied by a lengthy, continuous process, IC-L continues to provide advice as needed to this day. There is one major challenge for the implementation of the retrofitting measure: only during the planned interruptions in production in summer and winter can the necessary work be performed in a time period of just a few weeks in a given year. For this year’s summer shutdown, IC-L is taking over construction supervision with a team consisting of experienced construction supervisors, a specialist welding engineer, and further junior engineers. Numerous prioritised measures have to be implemented in the short time period of about 3.5 weeks. This balanced team is currently making a significant contribution to achieving the ambitious and demanding project goals at hand.

The project’s success in Portugal is mainly based on the fact that IC-L can draw on its extensive experience from similar upgrading measures in other plants of the group, in order to find tailor-made solutions for demanding, technical challenges.

The long-awaited IC-L Christmas party could finally take place after it had to be cancelled on December 3rd, 2021 due to the high corona infection rate in Germany. Under the motto “Postponed doesn’t mean canceled”, the party was celebrated on May 20th, 2022 on the premises of the Leineschloss in Hannover. Unfortunately, the weather spoiled the celebration at the beginning and the beautiful view of the Leine could not be enjoyed. This didn’t dampen the exuberant mood, however, and the guests danced and celebrated together until the early hours of the morning. A heartfelt thank you again to the entire IC-L family for their commitment in 2021 and beyond!

As part of the national Action Day for cliché-free career orientation for boys and girls, also named Girls‘ and Boys‘ Day – Future Day, which took place on 28 April 2022, 5 school students visited us to take a look inside the world of architects and engineers and to hopefully consider this professional field later when choosing their careers. On this year’s Girls' Day and Boys’ Day, year 5 – 10 school students throughout Germany were able to choose from more than 11,000 offers in companies and institutions. Since 2003, the event has opened the Action Day for Promoting Female School Students in MINT Areas (Mathematics, Informatics, Natural sciences, Technology (engineering)) and for the past few years has also been directed at male school students. For IC-L, it was a good opportunity to present itself, and who knows, we may one day be able to welcome one or other of the interested young persons into the IC-L family.

On 20 April 2022, high-calibre representatives of the CDU Langenhagen visited our company headquarters. A lively and very constructive exchange took place during the so-called business breakfast. IC-L was given the opportunity to present itself and several project highlights. In return, the politicians wanted to find out what political prerequisites are necessary to carry out good economic activity in the location. We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks for the interest.

From left to right: Mirko Heuer (Mayor of Langenhagen), Jessica Golatka (Chairwoman CDU Langenhagen, City Association), Nicolas Mertzios (Managing Director, IC-L), Nina Kirchner (Management Assistant, IC-L), Rainer Fredermann (CDU Member of Parliament), Maximilian Voigt (Deputy Group Leader, CDU Council Group), Robin Papperitz (Assessor, CDU City Association), Dr. Philippe Hörsting (Managing Director, IC-L), Ioannis Mertzios (Owner, IC-L) Dr. Hendrik Hoppenstedt (CDU Member of the Bundestag), Alexander Schaper (Spokesman for the City Planning Committee, CDU Council Group)

We, at IC-L, have come up with something very special for the Christmas card this year. This time, instead of the usual, traditional card, we have decided to put our employees center stage: experts who may not be highly visible in the company’s routine daily business, but whose work is indispensable for the success of the projects. The picture also shows the fun we had during the photo shoot, because one thing is certain... respectful and informal cooperation must go hand-in-hand with a demanding workload. With this in mind, we would like to thank everyone for the excellent job in 2021, and wish you all an enjoyable holiday and a very Happy New Year!

This year we are pleased about five trainees at IC-L. Paulina Wnuk (2nd from r), Maja Rieger (missing) and Manon Gegner (1st from l) transferred into their third year of training in August. Karl Sommer (2nd from l) moved up into the second year and Sven Bretz (1st from r) has started his 1st year as a trainee draftsman. Furthermore, eleven student trainees at our headquarters contribute to the company’s success with the know-how they have already acquired. In addition, we continue to employ a student engineer who is on a so-called “dual study” course in civil engineering as well as a student trainee in our Munich office.

Since IC-L was founded, we have helped around three dozen young people to get started in their vocational field and continue to feel obliged to train future skilled employees. We wish all the budding draftspersons and civil engineers every success and hope that they enjoy their training/ job!

After almost two years deprived of group company activities, the colleagues in our Munich office were looking forward even more eagerly to this year's company excursion. It took place at the end of August against the backdrop of cool temperatures and occasional rain, but all were in good spirits. The sporty theme of the outing took us to Lake Chiemsee and a bike ride around the perimeter. The colleagues covered a distance of 54 km on e-bikes, therefore giving this innovative means of transport an extensive trial run! The main focus, however, was on team-building: different colleagues were appointed leader of each section of the route, and could thus gain experience in that role. However, it quickly became clear that every individual in the team was important, and that a fixed goal can only be achieved when colleagues join forces and support each other. We will be incorporating these experiences 1:1 into our challenging projects, and are approaching the final months of 2021 and beyond with a fresh impetus and enriching insights.

Severe flooding in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland Palatinate have left behind a swathe of devastation and destruction. More than 100 people lost their lives in the flood and people are still missing. Roads are impassable, there is no electricity, entire houses were washed away - in many towns and villages the infrastructure has completely collapsed. IC-L is donating €3,000 for immediate and emergency aid in the areas affected by the floods. The money is going to the “Aktion Deutschland Hilft”, an alliance of German relief organisations, which is on site and is providing the people with emergency relief. “The images left me speechless. The flood disaster has claimed numerous victims in the middle of Germany. Our commiserations to the bereaved and the people affected by the floods”, emphasised Nicolas Mertzios, one of the company's managing directors. “With our donation we would like to contribute to fast relief on site in the current emergency situation.”

Since the summer of 2019, the Munich branch of IC-L is working on planning and consulting for the new MTU plant in Serbia. In the first phase, a factory for the repair and maintenance of engine parts is to be built for MTU near Belgrade. The gross floor area of approx. 36,0000sqm includes a 2/3-storey office building and canteen at the front. The factory is to be designed for the repair of engine parts with a capacity of around 470,000 repair hours per year. The site size of 26ha was chosen to enable potential future growth. The Munich branch of IC-L is carrying out HOAI performance phases 1-3 as well as 6 and 7 for the project.

Wood as a building material is often associated with the terms "renewable resources" and "sustainability". The high stability with comparatively low material weight and the good thermal insulation effect are rarely mentioned. In order to combine these positive characteristics, IC-L has made it its business to develop safe timber constructions economically and with a durability that meets today's requirements. With our technical experts, we meet our high standards as well in the field of timber construction design and for the requirements of tomorrow's world.

In January 2021, our Munich office will move to a new and larger location in the same building in Schwabing West. This move enables us to continue to be close to our customers, including those from the automotive and aviation industries. The new premises are of a modern design, with many windows and an open floorplan. In addition to two open work areas, the new office space will offer the possibility to retreat if necessary, for undisturbed work and group meetings. We pride ourselves in offering our employees a central and future-oriented workplace and are excited about this new move and exciting step into the future!

IC-L has been awarded the contract for a major project at the Volkswagen plant in Emden. IC-L will design a new 49,000 sqm. Assembly Hall; which is at the heart of the factory conversion project and links directly to the existing current Assembly Hall. In addition - and included in the scope of the contract - a logistics warehouse and an automated small parts warehouse will be built alongside. IC-L further strengthens the partnership and relationship with VW, which has now lasted for over 30 years. The Volkswagen Group has set itself the goal of converting the Emden site into one of the first sites in Europe purely for electric mobility. As such, Emden will be only the second car factory in Germany which will produce purely electric vehicles for Volkswagen.
IC-L will be able to make full use of its know-how, acquired over many years, in the planning and development of factory buildings in the automotive sector.

IC-L has a long-term partnership with Autodesk as part of a commitment to invest in promising, future-oriented software and staying ahead of the latest software developments. IC-L is currently working alongside Autodesk on a customer success story which will highlight how this partnership has worked, as well as the benefits of working together. The partnership and scope will be announced soon.

We are delighted to announce that four trainees have successfully completed their three-year training as construction draftsmen at IC-L this year. We are proud of Marina Schulze (from left) and Sevgi Savasir (from right) as well as Eduard Knoll (back right) and Simon Schulz (missing), and we are pleased to announce as a result that we will be taking them on to be employed within the planning department at IC-L.

So far, we have supported more than 30 young people with their entry into the professional world; enabling them to complete an apprenticeship at IC-L. Furthermore this year we are happy to welcome a new trainee (Karl Sommer, 2nd from right) as well as three trainees Maja Rieger, Manon Gegner (from right to left) and Paulina Wnuk (missing) who are currently in their second year of training.

Additionally, two prospective civil engineers are beginning their dual studies in the field of civil engineering at our Munich office. We wish all of them great success in their endeavours as construction draughtsmen or civil engineers.

After successful office openings in Pune, Munich and Poznań, a new office was opened in January 2020 in the heart of Braunschweig, Germany. The new office will help us pursue a step towards ecological structural design and buildings; which we know are increasingly in demand from our customers. By focusing on resource-saving timber construction for example, we are focusing on bringing innovative and, above all, sustainable solutions to our customers, whilst continuing to meet our high-quality standards.