Trefftz-Bau

Have you ever wondered how a building can whisper stories of transformation? The Trefftz-Bau, here on the TU Dresden campus, does just that. This isn’t just another lecture hall. The Trefftz-Bau holds decades of history within its walls, echoing the evolution of Dresden itself. Originally built in the 1950s, the Trefftz-Bau reflects the architectural style of its time. It was named after Erich Trefftz, a professor of Technical Mechanics and Applied Mathematics in the 1920s. The building initially served the mathematics and physics departments. The Trefftz-Bau also housed the Center for Information Services and High-Performance Computing (ZIH). Look closely, and you can see the original design influences from the Barkhausen-Bau. The architects, Walter Henn and Heinrich Rettig, clearly drew inspiration from this earlier structure. Multiple additions, especially for the university’s computing center, changed the Trefftz-Bau over time. A major renovation in 2008-2009 brought the building into the 21st century, adding a modern glass elevator. Notice the northern facade? Its window arrangement has changed significantly since the 1950s. It no longer reflects the original architecture. Gone is the large astronomical clock that once graced this side. It displayed sunrise and sunset times and even moon phases. That clock, designed by Friedrich Adolf Willers and his daughter Annemarie, now resides on the Willers-Bau. See that bridge resting on granite columns? That bridge links the Trefftz-Bau to the Willers-Bau. And over there, in front of the northern gable, stands the larger-than-life sculpture “Man and Wave” by Karl Lüdecke. The Trefftz-Bau isn’t just a building. It’s a symbol of resilience, adaptation, and the enduring pursuit of knowledge, right here in the heart of Dresden.