The foundation stone for the new Hauner has been laid

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At the end of this decade, the New Hauner will succeed the internationally renowned Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital. With the laying of the foundation stone on Tuesday, March 11, the LMU Clinic celebrated an important milestone on the way to becoming a state-of-the-art university hospital for pediatric and adolescent medicine. The ceremony was attended by Bavarian Minister President Dr. Markus Söder, Bavarian Minister of State for Science and the Arts Markus Blume, and Prince Ludwig of Bavaria, among others. The new building, with almost 200 beds, will bring together the clinics for pediatrics and pediatric surgery with the integrated social pediatric center and other facilities.

After a welcome address by Prof. Markus M. Lerch, Medical Director and Chairman of the Board of LMU Hospital, Bavarian Minister President Dr. Markus Söder, Bavarian Minister of Science Markus Blume, and Thomas Jenkel, Head of the Munich 2 State Building Authority, delivered welcoming remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony:

Dr. Markus Söder, Bavarian Minister-President: "A great day for pediatric medicine in Bavaria: With today's laying of the foundation stone for 'Das Neue Hauner' on the LMU Campus Großhadern, the most modern children's hospital in Europe is being built. This is another important milestone for the health of our children and young people and a shining example of medical care in Bavaria as a whole. Medicine is currently experiencing the greatest momentum in human history. We want to be part of this development. That is why we are investing heavily in technology and medicine. Both are key factors for current and future health and quality of life. The Free State's investment of around 550 million euros in 'Das Neue Hauner' is money well spent, because our children deserve the best possible medical care! Thank you to all the employees and all the best for the rest of the construction work."

Bavaria's Minister of Science Markus Blume: "This is the beginning of a new era for Großhadern, for Munich, for the whole of Bavaria: we are giving one of Germany's most renowned children's hospitals a new home for €600 million. In future, the focus in Großhadern will also be on the youngest patients – right next to the existing hospital building. Our goal: to provide the best conditions for caring for sick children and researching new methods of treatment. The 'Hauner' is a real institution here and an international flagship for the Free State. The new building is both a project close to our hearts and a promise for the future, because the health of our youngest is the most important thing. And: today's laying of the foundation stone is also a real milestone for the overall Großhadern project. This underpins our claim to be the number one medical location."

Prof. Dr. Markus M. Lerch, Chairman of the Board and Medical Director of LMU Hospital: With the construction of the New Hauner, the Free State is sending a signal more than 170 years after August von Hauner's founding idea. The first new building of Dr. von Hauner's Children's Hospital on Goetheplatz, dating from 1882, has developed into one of the world's most renowned children's hospitals. The New Hauner on the Großhadern campus will continue this tradition and, once completed, will be the most modern and child-friendly hospital for pediatric and adolescent medicine in Europe. As LMU Hospital, we are very grateful for this major investment by the Free State, which has also given the green light for the renovation of our entire medical campus in Großhadern after more than 50 years.

Thomas Jenkel, Head of the Munich 2 State Building Authority: "As the team at the Munich 2 State Building Authority, we are proud to be able to realize the New Hauner for the LMU Clinic. A functional and architecturally high-quality hospital building is being constructed on the Großhadern campus that will meet the special needs of our children and young people. This not only sends a strong signal about care and protection in our society, but also contributes to the further structural development of the Großhadern hospital site."

Laying of the foundation stone for the New Hauner – A milestone for paediatric medicine

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Heartfelt wishes in the time capsule

Those involved in the ceremony filled a time capsule with items including newspapers from that day, euro coins, a pterosaur figurine, the planning and continuation mandate for the new Hauner building, and the guest list for the event. Minister President Markus Söder placed a Bavarian lion in the time capsule, while Science Minister Markus Blume contributed a Bavarian baby bottle. Twelve-year-old Romina, who received a new heart transplant at the LMU Clinic in 2022, wrote down her and her brother Valentin's wishes for the new building for the time capsule: these included a good Wi-Fi connection and a school avatar so that children can attend school virtually, a playground, and activities such as pottery, yoga and games afternoons. ‘But the most important things are the things that money can't buy!’ she wrote. ‘I'm thinking in particular of the many people who selflessly give their all to make young patients' stays as short and enjoyable as possible – doctors, nursing staff and social workers.’ Romina also put her wish list in the capsule. The time capsule was sunk into the symbolic foundation stone with the traditional hammer blows; a crane then lifted it into the foundations of the new building.

Construction work is proceeding according to plan

Construction of the new Hauner began in the second quarter of 2023, and work is proceeding according to plan: following the establishment of the construction site and excavation, concrete work is currently underway and is scheduled for completion in 2026. Technical commissioning is planned for 2027, and the building is to be handed over to the LMU Medical Centre at the end of 2029. At the time of the laying of the foundation stone, after almost two years of construction, the building rises above the ground level (ground floor). The Free State is contributing 550 million euro to the total construction costs of 600 million euro, with 50 million euro coming from donations and a contribution from the LMU Hospital itself. The development and construction costs for the new Hauner building, which will include an integrated data centre, a school for sick children, childcare facilities for siblings and a high-performance photovoltaic system, are estimated at around €420 million. The Free State of Bavaria is also providing additional funds (currently up to €180 million) to cover future increases in construction costs and possible construction risks.

Optimal care for children of all ages

The new building, with a total of 196 beds and 1,408 rooms, will house the paediatric and paediatric surgery clinics. The building, with a floor plan measuring 90 by 90 metres and a usable area of 19,200 square metres, is spatially embedded in the Großhadern campus. The departments of neonatology, paediatric cardiology and paediatric palliative medicine are already located there. The New Hauner is directly connected to the obstetrics department in the adjacent ‘ward block’. This creates a central location at the LMU Clinic where the staff of the New Hauner can care for children of all ages – from extremely premature babies to young adults – with all kinds of medical conditions. This will enable the internationally renowned Centre for Paediatrics to continue its work under optimal conditions.

Short distances and healing architecture

The compact structure within the new building, designed by Munich-based architects Nickl & Partner, shortens distances for patients and staff alike. The close integration of the various specialist disciplines enables rapid exchange of information, thereby contributing to the best possible treatment of children with often chronic and highly complex illnesses. The areas of patient care are closely linked to research, teaching and training. Modern laboratories and seminar rooms are being built on the first floor, and there will be a lecture hall on the ground floor. The architecture of the building is also designed to contribute to the recovery of children and young people: open spaces with play and recreation areas, as well as a cafeteria with indoor and outdoor seating in the foyer, create a pleasant and family-friendly environment. Four inner courtyards provide plenty of daylight and a positive atmosphere for patients and their families.

Support through broad civic engagement

The creation of the New Hauner is largely supported by broad civic engagement. To date, donations totalling around 28 million euros have been raised for the construction, the realisation of special projects in patient care, and for research and teaching. The current focus of fundraising is on the interior design of examination rooms, outpatient clinics and patient rooms in the New Hauner, which are to be adapted to the needs of young patients. The aim is the holistic well-being of everyone involved in the recovery process – a concern that was already close to the heart of the founder of Dr. von Hauner's Children's Hospital.

As patron of the New Hauner, DFB assistant coach Sandro Wagner has a keen interest in the development of the new clinic: ‘Supporting the New Hauner is a home game for me and a matter close to my heart,’ he says. ‘I was born at the Großhadern Clinic, and our family has always benefited from the excellent conditions there. As patron, I can and want to give something back. Because together we are always stronger.’