Seven cubes, an artistic interpretation of our technology, and a location with which Memmert has been closely connected for more than 50 years. On October 22, 2026, the new Memmert roundabout in Büchenbach was officially inaugurated. At its centre stands a work of art created by artist Sabine Mädl and funded by Memmert.
The new roundabout on Willi-Memmert-Straße serves an important purpose first and foremost: improving road safety. It is designed to address a former accident hotspot where several serious traffic accidents had occurred in the past. The project was made possible through cooperation between the Roth district administration, the municipality of Büchenbach, and the State Building Authority.
The construction of the roundabout also provided an opportunity to give the location an artistic identity. Memmert funded a sculpture that directly reflects the company's technology while also highlighting its close ties to Büchenbach.
How can you represent an atmosphere that can neither be seen nor touched?
This was the question artist Sabine Mädl explored when she was approached in spring 2025 to create a work of art for the new roundabout. As she familiarised herself with Memmert and its products, she developed the idea of translating one of the key capabilities of our equipment into a geometric form.
The result is entitled "The Art of Maintaining an Atmosphere".
The sculpture consists of seven cubes that differ in size and design. At its centre is the largest and most open cube. Only its edges define the space, which is supported by three rods and appears to float above the ground.
It symbolises the interior of a Memmert appliance and, with it, one of our core competencies: reliably maintaining a precisely defined atmosphere. Whether cultivating cells, conducting stability tests, or carrying out industrial applications, precise and consistent conditions inside the chamber are essential.
From this open cube, the sculpture progresses through six additional elements that gradually become smaller and more enclosed. The sequence ends with a completely closed cube that symbolically tilts towards the road.
In this way, the sculpture also reflects Memmert's international presence: technology developed in Büchenbach that makes its way from here to laboratories, research institutions, and companies around the world.
Movement also played an important role in the design. Sabine Mädl arranged the individual cubes to reveal different perspectives depending on the direction of approach, with their shapes echoing the circular movement of the roundabout.
What began as an initial idea gradually took shape through numerous individual steps, resulting in the sculpture that now stands at the centre of the roundabout. The artistic design not only had to achieve the intended visual effect but also meet the technical and structural requirements needed to ensure that the seven cubes would remain securely in place over time.
The installation was carried out using a crane to position the individual elements in their designated locations. The process was documented through photographs and time-lapse footage, showing how the initial plans and individual components came together to form the finished sculpture.
On October 22, 2026, the new roundabout was officially inaugurated in the presence of numerous guests. Among those attending were Memmert owner Christiane Riefler, Roth District Administrator Ben Schwarz, Büchenbach Mayor Helmut Bauz, and representatives from politics, public administration, and the organisations involved in the project.
For Christiane Riefler, the artwork brings together the history of the family-owned company, its technological expertise, and its connection to Büchenbach. In her speech, she expressed what the sculpture means to her:
"To me, this artwork tells part of Memmert's story. We send large and small cubes with perfectly controlled atmospheres from Büchenbach out into the world, and I am happy and proud that the roundabout expresses this in such an artistic way."
District Administrator Ben Schwarz and Mayor Helmut Bauz also addressed the guests. While Schwarz highlighted the roundabout's importance for road safety and the cooperation of everyone involved, Bauz looked back on the project's development and its successful joint implementation.
Sabine Mädl also shared insights into the development of her sculpture, explaining the ideas behind the seven cubes and their connection to Memmert technology.
The inauguration also included an ecumenical blessing by representatives of the Protestant and Catholic churches. The new roundabout was then officially inaugurated with the symbolic cutting of a red ribbon.
For Memmert, the project also holds a very personal significance. The history of the family-owned company has been closely linked to Büchenbach for more than 50 years.
During the inauguration, Christiane Riefler recalled attending the foundation stone ceremony for the production buildings as a child. Her connection to this location therefore goes back many decades.
Büchenbach continues to play a central role for Memmert today. This is where equipment is manufactured before making its way to customers around the world for use in research, medicine, and industry.
The artwork at the new roundabout therefore makes two closely connected aspects visible: Memmert's technological expertise and the family-owned company's decades-long ties to Büchenbach.
