A glance back at prizes bestowed to date

2023

Publication of the book "Planung für Morgen - Zukunft Stadt und Raum" (Planning for Tomorrow - Future City and Space) by Fiedbert Greif, Detlef Kurth, Bernd Scholl (HG.) With the title, the authors want to express that spatial planning is always oriented towards the future.

On the one hand, tasks and challenges of the future must be anticipated, on the other hand, the effects and consequences of today's planning will only become visible in communities, cities and regions after years and sometimes after decades. Working in this field of tension is fascinating. In addition to professional skills, courage and perseverance are required. Courage to take initiatives and move forward when opportunities present themselves and can be seized. Endurance to persevere over long periods of time in order to realise proposed solutions within the framework of our democratically constituted communities. All this is illustrated by the contributions and examples in this book.

2023 published by jovis Verlag GmbH

ISBN 978-3-86859-744-8 (hardcover), ISBN 978-3-86859-744-9 (PDF)

Foreword by Friedbert Greif

2022

On 30 September 2022, the representatives of the Professor Albert Speer Foundation met for the fourth symposium in Cologne. The topic was: "Resilience and transformation using the example of the Cologne/Bonn region".

Welcome by the Prof. Albert Speer - Foundation

Friedbert Greif, member of the Board of Trustees and Managing Director of AS+P Albert Speer + Partner GmbH

Introduction to the goals and results of the awards

Prof. Dr. Detlef Kurth, TU Kaiserslautern

Appreciation and presentation of the award

Prof. Dr Bernd Scholl, Professor Albert Speer Foundation

Theses of the award winners / discussion

Sebastian Block, Universitiy of Kassel
Julia Kemkemer, TU Darmstadt
Johanna Moraweg, University of Applied Sciences Rhein-Main
Paul-Lennart Bardins & Elias Petruschke, HfWU Nürtingen-Geislingen
Sarah Zwanzger, TU Kaiserslautern
Sonja Brenig & Maximilian Vogt, TU Kaiserslautern
Patrick Zöchling, TU Vienna 

Introduction to the Cologne/Bonn region and the projects of the City of Cologne

Reimar Molitor, Region Köln/Bonn e.V.
Andreas Röhrig, moderne stadt | Gesellschaft zur Förderung des Städtebaues und der Gemeindeentwicklung mbH

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Protocoll

2020

On November 12, 2020, the second Prof. Albert Speer Symposium took place in digital format, hosted by the Department of Spatial and Environmental Planning at the TU Kaiserlautern. The topic of the symposium was "Quo vadis spatial planning? Challenges for spatial development, urban planning and urban design".

17:30 h
Greetings
Prof. Dr. Arnd Poetzsch-Heffter, President of the TU Kaiserslautern
Prof. Dr. Bernd Scholl, Professor Albert Speer Foundation

18:00 h
Major projects - strategies, planning processes and error resistance
Prof. Dr. (Univ. Florenz) Elisabeth Merk, Landeshauptstadt München

Designing on a large regional scale
Dr. Reimar Molitor, Cologne/Bonn Region

Planning administration in post-pandemic times
Gabriele Nießen, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen

19:00 h
Conclusions for teaching, urban planning and spatial development Panel discussion with the speakers
Hilmar von Lojewski, German Association of Cities
Prof. Dr. Hartmut H. Topp, TU Kaiserslautern
Dr. Oliver Weigel, Federal Ministry of the Interior, for Construction and Home Affairs (BMI)
Julian Schneider, representative of the students at the Department of Spatial and Environmental Planning, TU Kaiserslautern

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Detlef Kurth, TU Kaiserslautern

20:00 h
Closing remarks
Prof. Dr. Bernd Scholl, Professor Albert Speer Foundation

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Documentation (german only)

2019

The first Professor Albert Speer Symposium was held on October 16 at Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, where Albert Speer taught.

High-level experts from science and practical disciplines discussed the idea behind the introduction of spatial and environmental planning studies in Kaiserslautern, innovative planning processes and the way that they link theory and practice with the hosts Prof. Kurth from TU Kaiserslautern and Emeritus Professor Scholl.

The event illustrated how the principles of teaching and research back then are still important today. At the heart of academic studies were project studies that are still the focus of training today.

The achievements of Albert Speer and his firm in experimenting with innovative planning processes were also honored. By way of example, with their master plan for the Olympic Games in Frankfurt/Main in the late 1980s, the introduction of ideas competitions, the use of ad hoc organizations and the introduction of a planning rhythm he and his team played a significant role in moving forward the development of the urban space on the banks of the River Main. Given the cultural and recreational attractions in the direct vicinity of the river, this is appreciated by Frankfurt’s residents and by visitors to the city alike.

Successful elements of an innovative process that was so pioneering at the time are also reflected in numerous cooperative processes both in and outside Germany. The intention is to continue with the series of symposia. In 2020, the focus will be on the upcoming challenges facing spatial development.

PDF downloads:

Program
Results paper

2017/2018/2019

The third curriculum of the International Doctoral College "Spatial Research Lab" will again be supported in its activities by the Professor Albert Speer – Foundation. These include, inter alia, the doctoral weeks taking place three times per year as well as short trips to selected projects in Europe. The third curriculum runs under the theme "Crossing borders — enabling space". More than 20 doctoral candidates from the participating universities at various locations are thoroughly dealing with the challenging research tasks emerging from the guiding theme.

Participating professors:

Prof. Undine Giesecke | Technical University of Berlin

Prof. Markus Neppl | KIT (Karlsruhe Institut of Technology) 

Prof. Bernd Scholl | ETH Zurich

Prof. Dr. Stefan Siedentop | University of Dortmund

Prof. Dr. Andreas Voigt | Technical University of Vienna

Prof. Dr. Udo Weilacher | Technical University of Munich

As in the previous curriculum, it is intended to support doctoral candidates with scholarships of the Professor Albert Speer – Foundation in the final phase of their doctorates.

2016

On May 3, 2016 the Professor Albert Speer – Foundation awarded two doctoral scholarships to the International Doctoral College Spatial Research Lab attached to TU Wien (Vienna University of Technology).

The International Doctoral College is geared to especially well-qualified individuals from a wide range of specialist fields with a spatial focus who wish, as part of a Ph.D. project, to address complex spatial issues through intensive academic and creative research, above all with a view to finding viable and innovative solutions to developing urban transformation settings of national and European importance.

Participating professors:

Prof. Michael Koch | HafenCity University Hamburg

Prof. Markus Neppl | KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

Prof. Bernd Scholl | ETH Zurich

Prof. Walter Schönwandt | University of Stuttgart

Prof. Andreas Voigt | TU Wien

Prof. Udo Weilacher | Technical University of Munich

The overarching theme addressed in the International Doctoral College curriculum from 2013—2016 was urban transformation settings. Multifaceted change in living spaces with a primarily inwards-oriented settlement development, changes in the field of mobility, rural areas, demographics, energy and not least the climate all call for integrated strategies and concepts for holistic transformation that can be readily visualized.

The Ph.D. scholarships bestowed by the Professor Albert Speer – Foundation went to:

Anna Kirstgen /HafenCity University Hamburg

In her Ph.D. project entitled “Raumreiz” Anna Kirstgen examines in what way designed public space impacts on its users. Is it possible, for example, to reanimate “anesthetic” urban spaces by providing “spatial incentives”? This scientific deliberation is intended to contribute to rediscovering the concept of “perception” in the design of public spaces.

Bettina Wyss /KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)

Bettina Wyss’s project “Zu Hause im Quartier?” addresses the topic of local roots and how they are realized in spatial terms. On the basis of a study of the Wiplingen quarter in Zurich, she explores what exactly “local roots” means and how this can promote the quality of life and living in urban quarters.

since 2014

Substantive support was provided for a high-ranking International Symposium on Railways & City Development in European metropolitan regions held in April 2015 in the form of the Foundation Project Rail and City – CODEATHENS (Corridor development in the Metropolitan Region of Athens). Moreover, in a seminar week held in the symposium’s wake for students of ETH Zurich, the University of Patras and the University of Athens, the focus was on conceiving ideas for a new central railway station and the urban setting for it.

Greece faces major challenges. The current crisis marks a caesura in the country’s history, but also offers an opportunity. In order to remain on a sustainable path for development, investments in the country’s infrastructure are crucial precisely now. However, very often extensive investments get blocked by unforeseen obstacles and the difficulties of complex tasks. The emphasis must therefore be on using knowhow partnerships to bring together the key players involved in solving the difficulties and to reach solutions on the basis of new ideas, methods and instruments.

One such example is the rail link from Athens to Thessaloniki as part of the Trans-European Rail Grid and the Vienna-Athens axis. An end-to-end fast and reliable link is a prime strategic project and a core task of national and European importance.

In June 2015 a joint seminar week was held for students from Athens, Patras and Zurich. It served to build on the insights of the symposium and other foundations and experiences to develop ideas for a new main Athens railway station and its urban setting. The joint seminar week was led by suitable academic staff and was organized by ETH Zurich’s Chair of Spatial Development.

PDF downloads:
Concept paper – ETH Zurich
CODE Athens – Railways & City Development

2005

The topic of the 2005-6 prize was “Urban and regional development in the Federal Republic of Germany in light of demographic simulations and forecasts”. Unlike past versions of the Professor Albert Speer – Foundation Support Prize, 2005-6 saw very few submissions (15 entries). It bears stating that the majority of the entries relied on statistics that only ran until 2020. With a few exceptions, the study of the corresponding sources was superficial, uncritical or faulty and did not meet academic standards. While geographers and planners at least analytically addressed the topic of “demographics”, architects considered their task primarily as the formal/aesthetic handling of construction measures usually with no reference to demographics. Essentially, the entries were stronger on the analytical side but did not translate this conceptually. Among students, a kind of mental block, disinterest, an unwillingness to accept the realities seemed to prevail as regards using demographics to “create images of the future” that did not address the issue of growth and development, but rather “contraction” or “renaturation”. The prospective architects seemed to regard demographic trends more as a negligible irritant to their creative oeuvre – or to negate them altogether.

The Jury

Prof. Herwig Birg (retd.)
Population Sciences/Demographics, Bielefeld University

Prof. Ingeborg Flagge
Director of Deutsches Architekturmuseum

Friedbert Greif
Managing Director of AS+P Albert Speer + Partner GmbH

Dr. Frank Schirrmacher
Co-publisher of Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

Prof. Gerhard Steinebach
Chair for Urban Planning at TU Kaiserslautern (University of Kaiserslauten)

Prof. Christiane Thalgott
President of Deutsche Akademie für Städtebau und Landesplanung, Municipal Building Office, Munich

The above jury convened on June 23, 2006 as announced in the call for entries and found that the identified shortcomings were not solely the fault of the students. It resolved to award two prizes of € 5,000 and two of € 3,000 for those projects that came closest to addressing the topic at hand.

€ 5,000
Wilhelmshaven - Raum für Neues
Project at Hamburg University of Technology
Authors: Denise Alberts, Anne Henftling, Inga Kämpf, Sara Nierhoff, Urte Seefeldt

Lokale Identität als endogenes Entwicklungspotential ostdeutscher Kleinstädte. Das Beispiel Luckau 
Degree thesis, TU Dresden – Faculty for Forestry, Geo- and Hydrosciences – Institute of Geography
Author: Anke Borner

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Download Appendix (0.9 mb)

€ 3,000
Die demographische Alterung Deutschlands – Wohnquartiere für ein selbstbestimmtes und selbständiges Leben im Alter 
Degree thesis University of Dortmund – Faculty of Spatial Planning
Author: Volker Kreuzer

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2002

On the occasion of the official celebrations commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the birth of Walter Kolb on January 22, 2002 in the Paulskirche in Frankfurt, Prof. Albert Speer proposed in his speech (pdf download) “that urban planning, architectural and transport planning departments and their students at technical universities in Germany and in Frankfurt’s European twin cities be invited to speculate in planning terms what the future will bring. They should take stock of the current state of downtown Frankfurt, the city’s projects and intentions, get to know Frankfurt architects, and in their seminar or final projects put forward proposals on what Frankfurt’s core Old Town might look like in the mid-21^st century – without being subject to any real constraints or having to heed politics.

The Foundation took up the suggestion and with the support of the Walter Kolb Stiftung, the FAZIT-Stiftung, the City of Frankfurt, the municipal office in charge of city twinning, Deutsches Architekturmuseum and the Dept. of Urban Planning at TU Kaiserslautern launched and realized a corresponding competition in 2002:

“Internationaler Walter-Kolb-Städtebaupreis Zukünftige Gestaltung der Frankfurter Innenstadt”

A total of 44 students and groups of students from 14 German and three European higher education institutions took part in the competition, submitting predominantly very high-quality proposals, presented in the form of plans, descriptions and a model. The prize-worthy entries were evaluated and selected on Thursday, June 26, 2003 by a jury chaired by

Prof. Helmut Ahuis.

The jurors were

Prof. Ingeborg Flagge
Friedbert Greif
Dr. Klaus Peter Krause
Dr. Hans-Bernhard Nordhoff 
Prof. Albert Speer 
Prof. Gerhard Steinebach
Dirk Zimmermann

In addition to the overall impression the concept made, the jury also assessed the built fabric, the structure of free space and the traffic concepts involved. From among the entries received, six won awards, with four prizes bestowed in the category “referencing reality” and two special prizes for “visionary urban planning”. The jury’s unanimous vote in terms of the ranking of the entries and the distribution of the total prize money of € 25,000 was as follows:

1^st Prize:
Michal Obarzanowski, Michal Górski, & Kinga Raczak
Supervisor: Dr. Wojciech Wicher
Institute of Urban Design CUT, Cracow, Poland
€ 9,000

2^nd Prize:
Susanne Dey, Jutta Kempf, & Daniela Schwemmer
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
€ 6,000

3^rd Prize:
Dennis Jercke, Stefanie Nau, Nikolas Postel, Corina Schöne, & Christoph Schütz
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences
€ 3,000

3^rd Prize:
Daniel Meer & Hanno Ehrbeck
RWTH Aachen
€ 3,000

Special Prize:
Karsten Harz & Janina Freund
TU Kaiserslautern
€ 2,000

Special Prize:
Denise Härtel, Matthias Lovis, & Dirk Steinbach
Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
€ 2,000

All 44 entries went on show from July 1-9 at Institut für Stadtgeschichte/Karmeliterkloster. On Monday, June 30, 2003 the exhibition was officially opened at 5 p.m. by Lady Mayor Petra Roth. The other speakers were Dr. Klaus Peter Krause, Managing Director of FAZIT-Stiftung, and Chairman of the Jury Prof. Helmut Ahuis.

2000

The call for entries for the second Support Prize was in 2000 and the prize was bestowed in 2001. The call stated that “In line with the consciously broad thrust of the Foundation’s mission, the prize in the year 2000 will go to a Ph.D. or graduation project written in Germany and submitted at a tertiary institution in Germany, Austria or Switzerland that addresses the topic of “Ecological Urban Planning (Agenda 21)” in a comprehensive and pioneering manner. By the deadline of June 30, 2000 a total of 16 entries had been received that were then assessed and evaluated in keeping with the predetermined criteria. The public prize-giving ceremony took place on June 21, 2001 in the framework of an academic event at the university in Kaiserslautern.

1st Prize:
Rolf Messerschmidt – University of Stuttgart
Degree thesis “NetzWerkZeug Nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung - Anwendung Karlsruhe Südost” (published online at www.netzwerkzeug.de)
DM 10,000

2nd Prize:
Hernan Guillermo Trinanes – University of Graz
Degree thesis “Cayenne: blurred and pittoresque - the dithering of a tropical town - Strategien zur Urbanisierung peripherer Gefügefragmente in einer äquatorialen Stadt”
DM 5,000

2nd Prize: 
Gordon Warneburg & Dirk Zaloga – RWTH Aachen
In-depth design for “Zwischenstadt Oberhausen – Sterkrade”
DM 5,000

Commendation: 
Gudrun Müller – TU Kaiserslautern
Degree thesis “Nachhaltige Stadtentwicklung im Zuge der Konversion” (WS1999/2000) Beispiel Landau i.d. Pfalz – Kasernengelände „Foch-Estienne”

Commendation: 
Tina Andric & Sigrid Busch – University of Stuttgart
Degree thesis “Ludwigshafen – Transurbane Strategien” (WS 1999/2000)

1995

In keeping with the Foundation’s mission, in 1995 for the first time a prize was announced on the topic of “Ecology and the City”, “Ecological Urban Planning”, “Ecological Urban Conversion” for which young urban planners could apply and which was bestowed in July 1996.

A total of 27 degree projects from 16 tertiary institutions were submitted and ten of the projects were shortlisted.

The degree thesis by Martin Sasse, University of Kassel, won 1st Prize as the best degree thesis in German on the above topics (prize-winner: DM 8,000, university: DM 2,000).

The strong response to the call for entries and the superb quality of the projects prompted the Board of Trustees to reward two other projects with prizes: the degree thesis by Andrea Schröttner, University of Graz (DM 2,500) and the joint project by Petra Brandner & Henrike Neumann, TU Kaiserslautern (DM 2,500).