German Sustainability Award 2023, Architecture category

The winner in the architecture category for the German Sustainability Award 2023 has been announced. The winning project shows how a sustainable, future-oriented conversion of existing buildings is possible. Find out more here.

On November 24, 2023, Germany’s Sustainability Award for Architecture was presented as part of the 16th German Sustainability Day in Düsseldorf. The U-Halle Mannheim project came out on top. According to the jury, it is exemplary for the sustainable use of existing buildings in terms of future-oriented conversion. It shows what transformation in the construction sector can look like. The other finalists were the German Alpine Association’s national office and the revitalization of the Congress Center Hamburg.

The U-Halle in Mannheim shows how warehouses, which are often considered a “negative land burden”, can create added value. Instead of being demolished before the urban planning stage, which can result in a lot of gray energy being lost as well as identity and character, this warehouse was left standing. It is a U-shaped building that used to serve as a distribution center for the American armed forces. As part of a competitive planning process, the hall was examined for its usability for the purposes of the BUGA 2023 Federal Garden Show.

The winning office, Hütten & Paläste, transformed the formerly simple building with a length of 700 meters and a gross floor area of 20,000 square meters into a functional building full of character. This enabled the U-Halle to serve as an event, exhibition and catering area during the BUGA. This avoided the construction of additional buildings for temporary BUGA exhibitions. At the same time, the project provided important impetus for a contemporary, interesting subsequent use concept for cultural and leisure uses.

Closed and extended hall sections alternate in the U-shaped hall. The supporting structure spans the public open space like a grid of numerous pergolas. The result is an architecturally valuable structure that, according to the jury of the Sustainability Award, would be almost unimaginable in a new building. In addition to the sustainability of the building materials and resources, the U-Hall also demonstrates what cultural sustainability can look like.

The architects have created a building that integrates better into the landscape by opening up sections of the hall segment by segment, creating new pathways and new cold air corridors. Previously, the hall looked more like a bar. The openings activate cold air corridors for Mannheim, which should make an important contribution to preventing overheating in the city center. The removal of sealed surfaces is also worth mentioning. In addition, some parts of the hall have been planted with greenery and shrubs to contribute to climate adaptation and to strengthen biodiversity. The architects took care to carry out the conversions in a circular manner in order to create a multifunctional and sustainably adaptable building with many life cycles.

According to the jury, this ambitious project is a “convincing and aesthetically sophisticated contribution to sustainable construction and conversion and to a contemporary new conversion culture”.

Germany’s Architecture Prize for Sustainability aims to document change in the construction sector. Together with key players in the world of architecture, it also recognizes buildings that combine a transformative effect, innovation and outstanding design quality. The German Sustainability Award (DNP) and the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) launched this award in 2012. The special award for pioneering construction reflects the importance of the real estate sector for the most important challenges of the future. The DGNB and the DNP award the prize with the support of Caparol, the Association of German Architects, the Federal Chamber of Architects and the Federal Foundation for Building Culture.

Incidentally , a green experience center was also created in Mannheim’s Luisenpark as part of BUGA 2023.