Wittelsbach Castle in Friedberg, Bavaria, has long been a great attraction  for people in the region. In 2020, following many years of renovation and conversion of the building, the completion of the building was celebrated as part of the Bavarian State Exhibition. In 2007, the town of Friedberg, located east of Augsburg, acquired Wittelsbach Castle from the Free State of Bavaria.

The aim was to make the historic building, which dates back to the 13th century, accessible to visitors as a community cultural hub and event center. This required the complete renovation and partial rebuilding of the castle. Drees & Sommer supported  the refurbishment with a wide range of project management services, including ensuring that all work remained on schedule and within budget.

The specialists also ensured that all possible sources of subsidies were exploited. It was also very important to involve local residents, and to ensure that protected bats were unharmed. These measures resulted in the project being very positively viewed by the general public over time.

Drees & Sommer used systematic cost management to keep the cost of the  project under control. The design-to-cost approach was used, which involved several workshops. Drees & Sommer also prevented construction costs being incurred as the result of delays by holding intensive optimization sessions during the planning and execution phases.

The project participants succeeded in consolidating the heritage-listed structure into a unified whole. Following several years during which the castle exhibition had been closed, the museum collection was relocated to the south wing. Taking a modern approach, the museum now offers various attractions  including activity stations, interactive media, and a museum café. May 2019 saw the official opening of the museum at Wittelsbach Castle. 

The castle was also selected to host the 2020 Bavarian State Exhibition, resulting in nationwide recognition. Drees & Sommer integrated the construction measures necessary for the national exhibition into the project.