From Longlist to Finalist – our Primary School in Stuttgart-Stammheim has advanced to the next round in the Archello Awards 2024 and is now one of five finalists in the "Primary School Building of the Year" category. The Public Voting is also now open. We appreciate every vote and are excited to see if our Primary School will make it to the podium!
With prominent guests from politics and academia, the starting signal was given for the forward-thinking Student Residence with an integrated daycare center at the Kurt-Schumacher-Ring campus of the RheinMain University of Applied Sciences in Wiesbaden. The new building will offer 435 residential spaces that are not only located directly on campus but are also affordable and versatile in design. Both furnished single-room apartments and shared living units are planned. In addition to a daycare center with 80 spots for the children of students and local residents, the residence will feature a wide range of communal spaces, including music and party rooms, as well as a laundry lounge. In the interest of sustainability, the new building will be constructed in a wood-hybrid design with a green facade. The residence is scheduled for completion by spring 2026, making the campus a bit greener.
This week, trees were planted for the third time on behalf of our office in the southern Harz region to offset our CO₂ footprint from the previous year. The trees, which are permanently cared for and replaced in case of loss by PLANT-MY-TREE, will absorb our CO₂ emissions in the coming years. Through reforestation in the form of a resilient mixed forest, robust forest areas are being created that will benefit the climate in the long term. Every tree counts – Together for the climate!
After our Headquarters of Gustav Epple, our Primary School in Stammheim and our St. Johannes Maria Vianney Neighbourhood Development made it to the shortlist in the international competition "The Plan Award", we can now announce that all three projects have advanced another round and are now among the finalists. The award ceremony will take place in Milan on November 14th, where we will find out about the winners. We are excited!
In order to raise awareness of architectural culture in everyday life, the Chamber of Architects has been awarding the 'Beispielhaftes Bauen' distinction for many years. In the Lake Constance region, the process has now been conducted for the eighth time in cooperation with the District Office of Lake Constance. Out of 74 submissions, the jury recognized 26 objects as thoroughly successful solutions to the respective building tasks. Among the awarded projects is also our Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen – we are very pleased that our building has been honored in this prestigious process.
The Technical University of Nuremberg (UTN), together with Prime Minister Dr. Markus Söder and Minister of Science Markus Blume, inaugurated the first building on its new campus: the 'Cube One'. Covering 2,500 square meters and six floors, it provides space for around 120 employees and features flexible work concepts such as open space, flexible rooms, and lounges. Designed sustainably, the building consists of a wooden structure and a recycled concrete core, meets the passive house standard, and generates energy via a photovoltaic system. The facade is equipped with a trellis structure and extensively greened.
The city of Künzelsau owns a plot of land measuring approximately 2,090 m² in the Gaisbach district. On the eastern half of the plot, which is currently used as an open space, the city intends to construct a Daycare Center using timber construction. To find a suitable design that can be completed by the end of 2025, the city launched a negotiation process for planning and construction services. We were able to win the competition with our solution.
The global awards program "Archello Awards 2024" has published its longlists in various categories. The longlists recognize the best building products, architectural projects, and companies, selected from over 1000 submissions. Our Primary School in Stuttgart-Stammheim has been included on the longlist in the "Primary School Building of the Year" category, and our Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen is listed in the "Museum Building of the Year" category. The winners are expected to be announced in November.
A new four-track secondary school, including a double sports hall for a total of 664 students, is being built on an inner-city plot in Berlin Center. Together with all project participants, the cornerstone for the school building was laid. The secondary school is being constructed according to Berlin's concept of the "Learning and Team House," which focuses on flexible learning environments and modern pedagogical approaches. The new building is scheduled to be completed by 2026.
A new university campus is to be built in Kulmbach for the Faculty of Life Sciences: Food, Nutrition and Health at the University of Bayreuth. For this purpose Free State of Bavaria launched a single-phase realisation competition. Together with Bäuerle Landschaftsarchitektur + Stadtplanung, we were awarded 1st prize out of 20 participating offices.
Yesterday the 13th AOK company run took place in Ludwigsburg and we were there! On a picturesque route from the Ludwigsburg Residenzschloss through the Blühende Barock and around the Favoritepark, we were able to take a great 5th place in the mixed team classification out of a total of 107 teams!
The Hedelfingen gymnasium and assembly hall is in serious need of renovation and no longer meets current requirements. A renovation or extension of the existing hall is considered uneconomical. The aim of the competition was to design an innovative and sustainable building in terms of design, construction and energy efficiency, which would guarantee optimal processes in planning, construction and maintenance. Together with Gänßle + Hehr Landschaftsarchitekten, we were awarded 1st prize for the ideas part. For the realization part, we share a 2nd prize with Steimle Architekten. The final decision is still pending.
All works will be exhibited at the Hedelfingen district office from September 30 to October 11, 2024.
It was time again for our annual office excursion, and this year we headed to Lake Constance. Our first stop was the Markolfhalle in Markelfingen, an impressive project by Steimle Architekten. The sports hall stands out for its innovative timber construction and offered us exciting architectural insights. Afterwards, we headed to a boat in Konstanz, where we enjoyed a leisurely lunch on the lake. Upon arriving in Unteruhldingen, we reached the highlight of our excursion: the tour of the extension to the Pfahlbaumuseum, which we had designed and are particularly proud of. We ended the day at our Westspitze rooftop terrace in Tübingen with a sundowner, a perfect close to an inspiring day!
In addition to first place in the competitionline Federal States Best List 2023, we also made it to the top in the Ranking Special Residential Construction! Together with Fink + Jocher and Schilling Escher Steinhilber, we share second place in the Special Ranking with the same number of points. (Photo: a+r competition team)
The ArchiCup, the soccer tournament for architects and engineers, went into the next round and was once again held in Stuttgart Degerloch at the club Sportfreunde Stuttgart 1874 e.V. Despite cold and rainy weather, our FC a+r gave it their all and bravely fought their way through to the semifinals. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on our side during the penalty shootout, and we had to let bez+kock advance to the final. Nevertheless, we are proud of our team and are already looking forward to next year.
In Rheinstetten, the topping-out ceremony for two residential and commercial buildings was celebrated. These projects are part of the development of Rheinstetten’s "New Town Center". On an area of 25,000 square meters, a modern and sustainable district is set to emerge, enabling living and housing for a wide range of population groups. The buildings we designed include retail and service businesses as well as accessible residential units. The completion is planned for the end of 2025.
With the song "A Million Dreams" from the musical film The Greatest Showman, performed by the choir of the International School Stuttgart in the new theater hall, the private school was inaugurated with a "Grand Opening". The new building offers its students a spacious and thoughtfully designed learning environment. The room designs reflect an appreciation for various cultures. The building is characterized by open, visible areas and an accessible rooftop terrace with seating, creating a sense of openness. Together with the developer and planners, the successful completion of the school was celebrated.
The International Architecture Award, now in its 19th edition, recognizes new and innovative designs created and/or built by architects, landscape architects, and urban planners at both national and international levels. This year, the award received a record number of project submissions. An international jury, composed of several renowned designers, worked remotely and selected nearly 190 entries from a list of over 850 projects. Our design for the Interim venue of the Stuttgart Opera, which we developed together with NL Architects and with which we won the competition in 2022, received an Honorable Mention.
The Schwarz Group intends to redevelop an approximately 32,530 m² area with an existing shopping center in the city of Neckarsulm in close coordination with the city. The competition site is to feature future-proof retail spaces, gastronomy, and residential areas in the form of micro-apartments. The aim of the announced invited competition was to develop a high-quality and sustainable plan for this location that meets urban, functional, and economic requirements. Our design was awarded first prize!
THE PLAN Award recognizes excellence in architecture, interior design, and urban planning. With twenty different categories and over a thousand submissions every year, THE PLAN Award is an important opportunity to participate in an international community and contribute to the discussion of the key issues affecting the industry today. Our Headquarters of Gustav Epple, our Primary School in Stammheim and our St. Johannes Maria Vianney Neighbourhood Development have been shortlisted. As part of the “Community Wish List Special Prize”, you can now vote for our three shortlisted projects!
The building ensemble at Uhlandstraße 21 in Ludwigsburg is to be reorganized. To find a concept for the fundamental reorganization of the existing buildings complemented by new construction elements, a planning competition was conducted by the Ludwigsburg Urban Planning Office and per invest GmbH. Our design was able to win the contract for further planning!
The Catholic parish of Besigheim currently has two locations. The community center "Martinshaus" with a kindergarten at the Sachsenheimer Steige site, and the Holy Cross parish church with the adjacent rectory and parish office at the Schwalbenhälde site. Since the community center and the rectory are in need of renovation due to their age, the parish wishes to part with the community center at the Sachsenheimer Steige site and build a new community house with parish office rooms and a rectory at the Schwalbenhälde site. For this project, the Catholic parish "Heilig Kreuz" announced a restricted architectural competition. We were awarded 2nd prize for our submitted design.
After a lot of hard work our dear colleague Victor Guimera Millan has successfully completed the "Qualification Program BIM - Planning, Building, and Operating"! Over the course of more than half a year, he learned in four consecutive modules how Building Information Modeling works and how to apply this method in the project process. This program corresponds to the BIM standard of the German Chambers of Architects and Engineers. Together with our colleagues Thomas Buttermann and Patrick Müller, we now have a new BIM expert trio in our office.
The current pool landscape of Tübingen consists of three pools. In addition to the outdoor pool, Stadtwerke Tübingen operates two indoor pools, which are in need of renovation. After extensive evaluation, it was determined that a renovation of the existing indoor pools would not sufficiently meet the demand for covered water areas. In the future, the primary provision of covered swimming facilities will be met by a large, newly constructed Hallenbad Süd and a renovated Hallenbad Nord. For the new construction, which is to be realized before the renovation, Stadtwerke Tübingen announced a closed realisation competition. Our design received a special mention.
At the stud farm in St. Johann, the "Day of Agriculture" took place. In this context, the Granary that we planned in constructive timber construction was officially inaugurated after 5 years of planning and construction. It was a successful event for all generations, and during the tour of the new building, many were surprised by the complex technology hidden behind the wooden exterior. In the coming weeks, the grain harvest will be stored, and from September, the exterior areas will be redesigned.
FC a+r had the great opportunity to participate once again in the annual Fieldsoccer Tournament for Architects – an event that perfectly combines sports, fun, and architecture. Although we didn't win the tournament, our team showed great commitment and team spirit. Despite finishing in 9th place, it was a lot of fun to compete with colleagues from the industry on the field in Stuttgart Münster. We are already looking forward to next year and are ready to give it our all again!
The Franz Binder Verbundschule in Neckarsulm was officially inaugurated - a significant milestone for the city and the entire school community. This educational institution combines the Gemeinschaftsschule, Hauptschule and Werkrealschule under one roof. The new school building offers bright, open spaces and flexible learning environments, creating a welcoming atmosphere for pupils and teachers. In addition to the open foyer and flexible cluster rooms, the school features specialized rooms for science, art, music, and sports. The newly designed courtyards and sports facilities are also intended to promote physical activity and a sense of community.
The aed Stuttgart association wanted to learn more about the architecture office planning the Interim venue of the Stuttgart Opera. As a result, we had the pleasure of giving a tour of our office to nearly 50 interested individuals. Afterwards, our office management Florian Gruner and Alexander Lange gave a presentation on the planning of the Interim venue of the Opera. The event concluded with an exchange over wine and delicacies.
From a total of 581 submissions for the Hugo-Häring-Award, the jury of the BDA has now selected eight residential and public buildings from Baden-Württemberg for the Hugo-Häring State Prize. After our Kulturbahnhof in Aalen received the Hugo-Häring-Award in the Ostwürttemberg regional group in the first stage in September 2023, it has now been announced that it has also won the Hugo-Häring State Prize in the second stage!
We are pleased to announce the appointment of our four new Chief Architects. Christine Hegner, Miriam Baehrens, Patrick Müller, and Sybille Schmid will now take on leading roles in our key projects and areas. We are proud of our new leadership team and look forward to the future projects and successes we will achieve together!
Our project for GWG Tübingen, a multi-family house in innovative wood hybrid construction with recycled concrete built to the KfW-40 standard, is progressing splendidly. The building, which includes a daycare center and 11 residential units, has received a solid roof after the completion of the wood construction work. Additionally, the shell construction and paving work for the underground parking garage of the multi-family house have been successfully completed. Instead of a traditional topping-out ceremony, there was a hearty craftsman’s snack in the future foyer of the daycare center. It was a moment of coming together and giving thanks to the diligent hands that make this project possible.
The Staatspreis Baukultur is a central element of the State Initiative for Building Culture in Baden-Württemberg, which aims to strengthen and promote planning and building culture in the state. Under this year's motto "Re-Building Architectural Culture", nine winners and 18 commendations were determined in nine categories through a multi-stage selection process by the State Prize Board of Trustees and, finally identified by the jury from a total of 235 project submissions. After our Kulturbahnhof Aalen was nominated in February, it went on to win the State Prize for Building Culture in the category "Building for the Community" at the award ceremony in Stuttgart.
Trotz des regnerischen Wetters hat die Baugemeinschaft HolzReich ein erfolgreiches Richtfest für den von uns geplanten Wohnungs- und Bürobau im ehemaligen Queckareal Tübingen gefeiert. Zahlreiche Gäste kamen zusammen, um den Baufortschritt gebührend zu würdigen. Das fünfgeschossige Holzhybridhaus, das 9 Wohnungen, ein kreatives Musikstudio und zwei flexible Gewerbeeinheiten umfasst, ist ein Beispiel für die Revitalisierung innerstädtischer Brachflächen und städtischer Nachverdichtung sowie für generationenübergreifendes Wohnen.
The extension building of the Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen was festively inaugurated. The archaeological open-air museum, which has existed since 1922 and is known beyond national borders, is gaining a new exhibition on the UNESCO World Heritage of pile dwellings and a modern visitor center thanks to the new building. The artistically constructed building resembles an inverted prehistoric dugout canoe and has been elaborately staged inside with a unique wooden structure.
As with previous rankings, competitionline Verlags GmbH has once again identified the most successful competition offices in the respective planning disciplines this year. Additionally, they have taken a detailed look at the competitions across the 16 federal states. Last year, Baden-Württemberg had the most planning competitions, with a total of 86. In 2023, we recorded 15 competition successes, eleven of which were in Baden-Württemberg. As a result, we accumulated the most ranking points in "the Ländle" (Baden-Württemberg) and secured 1st place!
The Rethinking The Future Awards 2024 is a design award that has been presented for the 16th time, analyzing and comparing the work of architects and designers in the categories of sustainability and innovation. This year, over 1000 entries were received from more than 40 countries, covering the categories of architecture, landscape design, urban planning, product design, and interior design. We are proud to announce that our Primary School in Stuttgart-Stammheim was awarded 3rd place in the "Institutional (Built)" category.
In Schliengen, the residential development we designed at Wasengärtle was inaugurated. In collaboration with Siedlungswerk Stuttgart, seven modern houses with a total of 69 residential units were created. To our delight, all parties involved, including the residents, the mayor, and the developer, are very satisfied with the small red neighborhood.
The town of Vienna intends to construct a new Educational Campus, Hausfeld Nord. It will be a combined educational facility with a kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, special education, and music school. To find a design that embraces the urban integration into the local conditions as well as meets the spatial-functional and educational requirements, the city announced an open, EU-wide, two-stage competition. Our design received a special mention.
A modern school complex is to be built on the Meckenheim School campus. The city of Meckenheim plans to realize the construction of the Geschwister-Scholl-Hauptschule and the Konrad-Adenauer-Gymnasium as part of a joint contract. The main objective of the construction project is to meet the requirements of current educational and labour-law regulations and to ensure an efficient and well-functioning school operation that fully meets the demands of modern learning environments. In the announced negotiated procedure with a competitive bidding process, we received the 2nd prize for our design, which we developed together with Köster-Bau.
After our Primary School in Stuttgart-Stammheim was nominated for the Timber Construction Prize 2024 as part of the Timber Construction Initiative Baden-Württemberg, the award ceremony took place in Friedrichshafen. Out of a total of 99 submitted projects, the 13 nominated projects were honored in a festive tribute. The competition was strong, but we are delighted about a recognition received!
The result of the competitionline ranking 2023 has been announced! In the category 'Architecture' we have achieved 4th place together with MGF Architekten. In the category 'Urban planning' we can be proud of the 11th place!
In a festive setting, the topping-out wreath was raised for the new management building of the Böblingen District Savings Bank and the four surrounding residential houses designed by us. Together with the client, the construction companies, and the planners, we celebrated this milestone. The topping-out ceremony not only celebrated the progress of the construction but also the anticipation about the future residents who will find a new home here.
The city of Freiberg am Neckar intends to build a 5-track all-day primary school with a cafeteria for a total of approximately 500 pupils, playground and open spaces, a 2-court sports hall, and outdoor sports facilities, including the dismantling of the existing buildings in the city area. Together with Gustav Epple Bauunternehmung, we were able to win the Europe-wide advertised, multi-stage tendering process "Plan and Build" with a preceding Europe-wide prequalification competition. Our design is characterized by its high functionality as well as its modern and sustainable construction by the use of wood. We are delighted about the 1st prize!
The polis AWARD for urban and project development honors projects that go beyond their own framework to contribute to the public good of a city. Out of over 170 applications, our Neighborhood Development St. Elisabeth in Ulm was nominated in the category of "Intelligent Redensification". The winners will be announced at the award ceremony, taking place on April 24th at the polis Convention in Düsseldorf.
This year's publication by buildingSMART Germany again presents construction projects from Germany, that have been realized with and through Building Information Modeling. The projects presented here demonstrate that BIM is now being used profitably and effectively in various large and small projects. We are represented with the Center for Mental Health project in Böblingen.
The 5th a+r Grand Prix was once again held at the racetrack in Wangen at Kart-o-Mania. After the race, which lasted over 27 laps, was completed and the winners were honored, it was time for a well-deserved visit at the Italian restaurant.
The Timber Construction Prize Baden-Württemberg 2024 is awarded by the holding company of the Timber Construction Initiative Baden-Württemberg and under the patronage of the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas, and Consumer Protection of Baden-Württemberg. It recognizes outstanding buildings, building concepts, and pioneering innovations from Baden-Württemberg that extensively engage with wood as the sustainable building material of our time. Our Primary School in Stuttgart-Stammheim is one of the 13 out of a total of 99 entries that were nominated.
Under the title "Contemporary architecture and urban planning" the Chamber of Architects of Baden-Württemberg organized an excursion day for the Green parliamentary group of the state parliament. Our portfolio incluces urban planning, neighbourhood planning, cultural and educational facilities as well as residential construction. Due to this diversity, our office was asked, if we could give insight into the working methods of sustainable architectural offices, the difficulties in their daily working routine and the particular challenges concerning residential construction. We were happy to fulfil this request and would like to thank for the inquiry. We are delighted about the opportunity of representing the guild of architects.
The town of Rottenburg am Neckar is planning the extension and conversion of Ergenzingen primary school in the Ergenzingen disctrict, inculding an all-day-school and dining area (approx. 280 pupils in the future). In order to find the best urban planning, architectural-design, functional and economic solution for the construction and conversion project, that is to be planned and realised, the town launched a realisation competition. Our design was awarded the 1st prize!
After 15 months of shell construction and timber construction, the topping-out ceremony for the Campus Building of the Vocational Schools in Tübingen was celebrated. By building on oder upon the existing two-storey underground car park, a large gap in the center of Tübingen's vocational schools has been closed. The new building will house a central canteen with a media library as well as 14 classrooms and seminar rooms, which will be used by all vocational schools.
The symbolic groundbreaking ceremony for the Centre for Mental Health was celebrated at the airfield in Böblingen. A large complex with over 200 beds for the care of people with mental illnesses is planned to be built here.
The Staatspreis Baukultur honours and publicises particularly innovative, exemplary and transferable solutions for the planning and construction challenges in Baden-Württemberg. In 2024, the focus will be on rebuilding and rethinking cities and communities in all possible dimensions and facets. Our Kulturbahnhof Aalen was nominated as one of three projects in the category "Building for the Community" for the Staatspreis Baukultur Baden-Württemberg 2024 out of a total of 235 submissions!
The inauguration of the Waiblingen Administrative District Office‘s conference room marks another milestone on the way to a sustainable and climate-neutral district administration, in addition to the last week’s topping-out ceremony for the new Administrative District Office. The building section on Alter Postplatz, which can be dated back to the late 1950s, has been renovated, modernised and adapted to meet fire safety requirements. The new conference room accommodates 38 seats as standard as well as an administration bench and can additionaly be extended by 15 seats by opening one of a the seven meeting rooms. Furthermore, a gallery also provides space for 16 guests.
This year our ski trip went back to Davos in Switzerland, where we stayed in a hut in the middle of the ski resort at an altitude of 2600 metres. We spent 3 days there with great weather and beautiful sunsets over the snow-covered peaks.
The ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards celebrates outstanding architectural achievements from around the world for over 15 years. Our Kulturbahnhof Aalen was nominated due to the creativity, innovation and dedication we have poured into our project. Public voting is open until February 13 to determine which projects deserve recognition. Click here to vote.
The shell construction for the four-storey extension of the Administrative District Office in Waiblingen has been completed. The topping-out ceremony was celebrated together with those involved in the construction, neighbours and district council members. The interior work should be completed by the end of this year so that the 350 employees can move in at the beginning of 2025.
The LBBW Immobilien Group is the owner of three combined plots at the entrance to Marktstrasse at Wilhelmsplatz in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt and intends to construct a new development of one or more mixed-use buildings on the site. LBBW Immobilien Development GmbH launched a realisation competition in order to achieve a high-quality, economical and sustainable design. Our design got a special mention.
Justus Liebig University (JLU) Giessen and the Giessen Student Union are planning to build a new central canteen on the Philosophikum campus area on the Culture and Humanities campus. The Philosophikum university site is to become a lively university quarter with its own character, characterised by both urban and scenic qualities. The state of Hessen launched a closed architectural realisation competition. Our design got a special mention.
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Archello Awards 2023 has revealed the projects selected as winners of each of this year’s awards categories. The winning projects have been selected from 1,000 entries submitted from 66 countries. For each of the 27 categories, one project was awarded by jury vote, and one project was awarded by public vote. Our Kulturbahnhof Aalen, which has already been nominated as a finalist, has now been selected by the jury as "Cultural Building of the Year"!
The city of Walldorf intends to build a complementary new nursing home in the South of Walldorf. The total supply of comprehensive care for Walldorf can no longer be provided by the existing nursing home of the Astor Foundation. The new nursing home is planned with a capacity of 100 places and will be realized on a plot of approximately 7,400 m². The goal is to establish a contemporary and sustainable nursing home that aims to be an attractive living space for people in need of care. The particularity of the task in the realisation competition announced by the city of Walldorf lay in the urban integration of the new nursing home into the spatial structure of the residential development in Walldorf-South. Our design was honored with recognition.
The award ceremony for THE PLAN Award 2023 was celebrated in Milan. After our hospital in Myanmar made it from the shortlist to the finalists, it was honored with a Honorable Mention in the "Health" category during the ceremony. We are very proud of this recognition.
The city of Fellbach is the owner of the Kleinfeld III area on the southeastern edge of the settlement and intends to develop a new residential quarter on the site as part of the residential development initiative. Within the planning area, a future-oriented residential district is to be created with a socially mixed resident structure, including age-appropriate housing and other forms of housing for starter households and families. In 2021, the city launched a negotiation procedure with a participation competition. Now, the results are available, and we are pleased to announce that our design has been awarded the 1st place!
The Archello Award is a global awards programme that celebrates the best architectural projects and building products in the world. The award showcases contemporary architectural projects and the way in which they are implemented. Archello itself is one of the most popular architecture platforms worldwide, growing rapidly year after year. Our Kulturbahnhof Aalen was selected as a finalist in the “Cultural Building of the Year” category. We invite you to the public voting to vote for our Kulturbahnhof, among others.
At our Westspitze in Tübingen, the association HPM (Die Handwerksgruppe) celebrated the 75th anniversary of its affiliated company Post Maler und Ausbau. Under the motto “DAS HANDWERK – wer sich verändert, verändert die Welt” (CRAFTSMANSHIP – those who change, change the world), the event addressed the challenges of climate change with presentations and networking in a relaxed atmosphere. We had the honour of presenting our Westspitze project as an example of sustainable building. It was an exciting and inspiring event.
After our projects, the Kulturbahnhof Aalen and the Burma Hospital Myanmar, made it to the shortlist, they have now advanced to the list of finalists. An international jury composed of leading figures in architecture, design, real estate and science will announce the winners at a formal award ceremony in Milan on November 9th.
Based on the conviction that “only together as a team can we meet the challenges of the future”, a+r Generalplaner GmbH was founded in 2021. To confront ongoing changes and ever-increasing demands in the planning and construction field and to better position ourselves, Johannes Weiß was appointed to the management team of a+r Generalplaner GmbH as an employed managing director as of 1 August 2023. We congratulate him and wish him success for the forthcoming exciting challenges!
The municipality of Gundelfingen intends to build an all-day school at the site of the existing Johann-Peter-Hebel-Schule. For this purpose, the classroom schedule, a cafeteria with a kitchen and an additional multipurpose room or school hall are to be planned. The aim of this competition was to create a high-quality, cost-effective and sustainable building, which responds appropriately and to a high standard to the respective urban, functional and economic requirements. We received a special mention in this competition for our design, which we developed in collaboration with Glück Landschaftsarchitektur.
In order to promote sustainable, environmentally conscious, space-saving and socially balanced neighbourhood development in the new “Östlich Marbacher Strasse” area, architecturally valuable and sustainable buildings are to be constructed, along with open spaces offering a high quality of stay. For this purpose, a design competition was announced as a multiple commission, and we were able to secure the 2nd prize.
Leutkirch is actively pursuing urban development and is already being supported by the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg with the fourth redevelopment area around the medieval old town. The current redevelopment area “Entlang der Eschach” provides the municipality with the opportunity to address urban, design and functional deficiencies in the urban core and the old town and to carry out upgrading measures. The subject of the competition was the preliminary planning of public open spaces and streets in several sub-areas. In collaboration with faktorgruen Landschaftsarchitekten, we achieved the 2nd prize.
In the urban and open space planning competition, a preliminary design for the former “Hymer Areal”, an area covering 49,162 m², was to be developed. The goal is to create an attractive, mixed, compact and green urban district. Together with faktorgruen Landschaftsarchitekten, we were awarded 2nd prize.
The Association of German Architects BDA Baden-Württemberg has been awarding the Hugo-Häring-Award for exemplary buildings in Baden-Württemberg every three years since 1969 to both clients and architects for their joint work. In the current 2023/24 competition, 581 projects were submitted, participating in the award processes of the BDA regional groups. We are proud to announce that we have received 3 awards! We were awarded first prize in the Ostwürttemberg regional group for our Kulturbahnhof in Aalen, second prize in the Stuttgart-Mittlerer Neckar regional group for the Headquarters of Gustav Epple Bauunternehmung and third prize in the Ulm-Donau-Iller regional group for the St. Elisabeth neighbourhood development in Ulm.
Our annual office excursion was due and this year we travelled to Mannheim. We visited the MARCHIVUM city archive and the Federal Garden Show. It was a wonderful day with lots of exciting and interesting impressions.
It was that time again: the traditional ArchiCup, a soccer tournament for architects and engineers, took place in Stuttgart Degerloch, and our FC a+r participated with a well-trained team. We advanced as group winners and faced the defending champions Kubus 360 | Herrmann+Bosch Architekten in the quarter-finals, and this year, we were able to secure a victory. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to the final after losing to AIG Architekten- und Ingenieurgemeinschaft in the semi-finals, but we are definitely proud of our 4th place. It was a great tournament with exciting matches, delicious food, refreshing drinks and enthusiastic fans. Congratulations to asp Architekten GmbH for their well-deserved victory, and many thanks to Kubus 360 | Herrmann+Bosch Architekten and Sportfreunde Stuttgart for organising the event.
The Baden-Württemberg Chapter of the Association of German Landscape Architects recognises creatively designed open spaces and landscapes as well as comparable projects in Baden-Württemberg with an innovative and sustainable planning approach as part of the Baden-Württemberg Landscape Architecture Award. Our Rauner School Campus is among the 18 nominated projects selected by the jury. In addition to the next jury decision, anyone interested is also invited to vote for their personal favourite project to win the Public’s Choice Award. We would greatly appreciate your vote for our Rauner School Campus!
... and another award for the Kulturbahnhof Aalen! Out of nearly 400 submissions, the KUBAA has made it onto the shortlist for the Heinze ArchitekturAWARD 2023. The Heinze ArchitekturAWARD recognises architecture and planning firms for their residential and non-residential projects each year. The jury evaluates both the overall concept of the building and the uniqueness, innovation, architectural distinctiveness and the building’s sustainability.
The company Manfred Löffler Wohn- und Gewerbebau Bauunternehmen intends to redevelop the city centre in Mengen. For this purpose, a single-stage planning competition was announced. The competition site is currently occupied by older residential and retail properties and a restaurant. These uses, except for the restaurant, are to be discontinued, and instead, a residential area with an urban atmosphere and commercial use on the ground floor and higher density is to be created. We were awarded 2nd prize for our design, which we share with jasarevic architekten. No 1st prize was awarded.
Since 2004, the Chicago Athenaeum, together with the European Center, has been organising the International Architecture Award to honour the best and most significant buildings designed and/or constructed by the world’s leading architects, landscape architects and urban planners at the national and international levels. An international jury comprising several renowned designers selected nearly 150 entries from a list of over 850 projects. Our Kulturbahnhof in Aalen and our Burma Hospital in Myanmar were both recognised as winners in the “Restoration/Renovation” and “Hospitals/Medical Centres” categories, respectively!
THE PLAN Award is an annual international award that recognises outstanding achievements in the fields of architecture, interior design and urban planning. With twenty different categories and over a thousand submissions each year, THE PLAN Award is an important opportunity for architects, designers, urban planners and strategists to become part of an international community. Our Kulturbahnhof in Aalen and our Burma Hospital in Myanmar have made it to the shortlist in the “Culture” and “Health” categories! As part of the “Community Wish List Special Prize”, you can now vote for our two shortlisted projects!
The topping-out ceremony was celebrated for the extension of the Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen on Lake Constance, which will serve as a visitor centre and exhibition hall. Within two months, the about twelve-metre-high building was built next to the lake dwellings, which, due to its special wooden construction, looks like an inverted dugout canoe from above. The opening is scheduled for May 2024.
The Field Soccer Tournament, a well-established small-field football tournament for architects, interior designers and planners, was kicked off again in Stuttgart and Hamburg this year. For the ninth time in a+r’s football history, our team participated in the tournament, aiming to defend the title. On Friday and Saturday, our FC a+r gave their all on the sports field in Stuttgart-Münster, braving wind, rain and sunshine, and achieved a respectable 6th place. Even though we didn’t make it to the podium, we are very proud of our team!
In Singen’s Nordstadt district, a new development with a local supply centre, residential buildings and high-quality open spaces is planned. The local supply centre will include an EDEKA supermarket and a chemist’s. For the development plan of the approximately 13,000-square-metre site, a competition was announced by Siedlungswerk Stuttgart and the applicant consortium EDEKA. We were awarded 2nd prize for our design, jointly developed with faktorgruen. The jury praised our proposed small-scale, open building structure, which aligns with the surrounding context, as a valuable contribution to the development of Singen’s Nordstadt.
The best architects award was launched in 2006 to identify the best and most interesting projects the architecture scene in the German-speaking countries has to offer. Today, it ranks among the most prestigious architecture awards. We are proud to announce that this year, our Civic Administration Centre in Göppingen is among the winners of the best architects 24 award. We are thrilled to receive this special recognition.
Ein großer Tag für die Technische Universität Nürnberg (UTN), für das Staatliche Bauamt Erlangen-Nürnberg und für uns. Für das Verfügungsgebäude, auch Cube One genannt, fand das Richtfest statt, bei dem auch die CSU Politiker Markus Söder und Markus Blume anwesend waren. Das Cube One ist das erste Gebäude auf dem neu entwickelten Universitätscampus in Nürnberg. Der bayerische Ministerpräsident und sein Staatsminister für Wissenschaft und Kultur haben den Nachmittag mit vielen Baubeteiligten und geladenen Gästen bei Bratwurst und Musik ausklingen lassen.
As in the past two years, competitionline has not only determined the most successful competition offices in the respective planning disciplines this year but has also taken a detailed look at the competitions in the 16 federal states of Germany. Together with gernot schulz : architektur GmbH and HASCHER JEHLE Architektur, we won the most competitions in Hesse and were thus ranked as the champions in the region!
We are thrilled about the abundant media attention that our winning design for the interim venue of Staatsoper Stuttgart, which we developed together with NL Architects, is receiving. Whether in Stuttgarter Zeitung, on the Stuttgart’s official website or on the SWR-Aktuell news platform – we still can’t believe that we have the opportunity to plan this special and prestigious project. We are looking forward to the close collaboration with NL Architects!
Despite the heavy summer rain, the cornerstone for four new residential buildings with 71 apartments and two underground car parks was laid! Due to its size, the existing property offers the potential to provide a tolerable amount of housing close to the city centre in addition to the new building for the Kreissparkasse bank branch. Primary attention is directed to a moderate expansion of the residential area at Engelberg while preserving individual, valuable trees.
Sensational news! We have been awarded 1st prize for the interim venue of Staatsoper Stuttgart, which we developed in collaboration with NL Architects! Staatsoper Stuttgart is one of the most important opera houses in Europe. In its meeting on July 28, 2021, the City Council of the State Capital of Stuttgart decided on the fundamental renovation and expansion of the opera house, including the development of an interim venue. As a result, a single-phase, restricted architectural competition was announced, which we were able to win with our design.
The UmweltBank AG acquired the area at Nordwestring 101 in Nuremberg in 2020 to develop the so-called UmweltQuartier, providing residential, commercial and public green spaces. A part of the site is designated for the construction of a student residence, including a daycare centre, in wood or hybrid timber construction. To find an optimally functional and aesthetically pleasing design for the building with its various functional areas, UmweltBank AG, in collaboration with pro.b, conducted the competition process as a so-called “New Team Procedure” in two phases. Working together with the structural engineers from Furche Geiger Zimmermann Tragwerksplaner and the carpenters’ workshop Zimmerei Dümler, we were able to achieve 2nd place with our design.
Timber construction work on the new office and administrative building for the Nuremberg University of Technology (UTN) has begun! Since the beginning of May, our fully prefabricated timber façade elements for the ground floor have been assembled on-site in Nuremberg. The façade elements, with lengths of up to 11 metres, arrive fully finished with cladding, windows and waterproofing. They are delivered to the construction site ready to be lifted and secured into place using a crane.
In Opfingen, a district of Freiburg, the topping-out ceremony for the four residential buildings of the Siedlungswerk housing association took place. The clients, craftsmen, local residents, representatives of the city planning department and we ourselves are all very pleased to see how well the buildings, which are grouped around the existing church, blend in and will redefine the entrance to Opfingen.
Since 2017, we have been planning the Wohnpark Mittendrin residential estate with 152 apartments in Stutensee. After the first concrete was poured in January 2022 and the first Gisoton block was laid in June 2022, the structural work is now mostly completed. After welcoming speeches from the mayor and the managing director of our client Volkswohnung, as well as a traditional topping-out speech, we all raised a toast to celebrate this milestone.
At Hechinger Eck in Tübingen, a new neighbourhood is taking shape. An underground car park, for which foundation work is already underway, serves as the anchor concept for a block development of five high-rise projects comprising residential and commercial spaces, as well as a daycare centre. On May 15, the cornerstone for the entire construction site was laid in a festive ceremony. Part of the event involved placing a fully-packed time capsule into the excavated pit. Inside the time capsule are newspaper articles, photos and other mementos, capturing and reflecting the present time and the individuals involved in the construction, for eternity.
The Design Educates Awards recognise, showcase and promote the best ideas and implementations of architecture and design worldwide. Our Kulturbahnhof Aalen was able to assert itself internationally this year and received an honourable mention.
Since 1989, the Brick Industry Association (BIA) has sponsored one of the most prestigious architectural award programmes for bricks – the Brick in Architecture Awards. Our Hospital in Myanmar is one of the winners this year and was awarded bronze!
The municipality of Schutterwald aims to redesign its town centre. To achieve the best architectural and urban solution, it announced an urban development competition. The starting point was the expansion of the all-day care facility and the necessary building extension of the Mörburg School. As the potential building areas for the extension affects various urban areas of the town centre, the building measures for the school expansion were to be considered in the overall urban context. In close collaboration with Faktorgruen Landschaftsarchitekten, we were awarded 1st prize for our design in the competition!
The polis AWARD seeks the true return on investment in urban and project development: the urban return. For the eighth time in 2023, the award honours projects that go beyond their economic framework and contribute to the greater good of the city. Out of 160 submissions, our Westspitze office and commercial building in Tübingen was nominated in the Ecological Reality category. Moreover, our Kulturbahnhof Aalen even secured the 3rd place in the Revitalised Centres category!
The results of the competitionline Ranking 2022 have been announced! And once again, we are proud to have made it to the Top 10 in two categories out of 29,000 architectural firms in Germany. We secured the 9th place in both the Architecture and Urban Planning categories!
After three years of construction, the grand opening celebration of the St. Johannes Maria Vianney neighbourhood took place on Friday afternoon in Stuttgart-Mönchfeld. The buildings are arranged around a green courtyard on the grounds of the Catholic parish of St. Johannes Maria Vianney. The complex comprises 64 residential units for elderly people, a daycare facility and a branch of the St. Monika Neugereut welfare centre. A new church building with a community centre is set to open this summer.
Defying rain and wind, the construction site in Stuttgart Degerloch is making great progress. The building shell of the extension for the International School is completed, and so it was time to celebrate the traditional topping-out ceremony. The new building for the private school is expected to be completed by the end of September.
The Pfahlbaumuseum in Unteruhldingen is being extended. The foundation stone was laid in the presence of Baden-Württemberg’s State Secretary Arne Braun from the Ministry of Science, Research and Art. The museum extension will create a boat-shaped visitor centre with a new entrance area and a two-storey gallery. The museum aims to prepare for the future and become more modern. The new building is scheduled to be ready for occupancy in May 2024.
The city of Mannheim is planning to build a new cultural and sports centre combined with a volunteer fire brigade station. The aim is to ensure the preservation of social, cultural and sporting life in the Wallstadt district. A competition was held to find the best possible urban planning and architectural solution. Our design, which we developed together with Glück Landschaftsarchitektur, was awarded 2nd prize for its functionality and effectiveness.
On Saturday, the consecration of the New Apostolic Church Unteres Filstal was ceremoniously celebrated with invited guests. As a landmark, the new building in Uhingen marks the transition between the settlement area and the surrounding landscape.
Für unseren Standort im schönen Stuttgarter Westen suchen wir zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt Unterstützung im Bereich Ausschreibung / Vergabe. Detaillierte Infos finden Sie hier. Wir freuen uns über Ihre Bewerbung an bewerbung@aplusr.de
The BauNetz Office Ranking is a list of best architecture firms determined by BauNetz, a German online platform offering services for architects and planners. Now the ranking for March and April is final. We can proudly announce that we have made it to 12th place nationwide! In the regional Baden-Württemberg ranking, we even take pride in 4th place!
The symbolic groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new town centre of Rheinstetten. The scheme includes two four-storey buildings, which will form the heart of the neighbourhood, together with the cultural centre and the adjacent market square. The two commercial buildings will house various facilities, including a supermarket, a chemist’s, a savings bank branch, medical practices, offices, a fitness studio and a brewery with a beer garden.
The topping-out ceremony for the new building of the Franz Binder School in Neckarsulm marked the completion of another milestone. The celebration was held together with all parties involved in the project. Since the school will unite three secondary school types under one roof, it represents an important future project for the city of Neckarsulm.
In 2019 and 2021, Langerberg Verwaltungs GmbH & Co KG acquired the properties north and south of Werner-von-Siemens-Strasse in Erlangen with the intention of redeveloping both areas and implementing a mix of residential and commercial uses. To find a suitable design, the firm launched an urban planning and architectural competition with an urban planning ideas section. The key criteria included the integration of the concept into the urban context, architectural excellence, economic feasibility and the possibility to divide the property to allow for individual development. Our proposal was awarded 3rd place in the competition!
As of today, our website is accessible under the new domain www.aplusr.de.
With this change, all our email addresses will be modified to end with @aplusr.de. Of course, the current email addresses will be maintained for a certain period of time to ensure smooth communication. In line with the domain transition, we have also updated our office website.
Up we go into the mountains – this weekend, we went on our annual ski trip. This year’s destination was Davos. Together, we enjoyed three days of perfect weather and beautiful snow as we whizzed down the slopes.
Our office is featured in a prominent report in Stuttgarter Zeitung Plus (“Award-winning a+r Architekten in Stuttgart”). Journalist Nicole Golombek describes how we address ethical requirements in architecture through residential buildings in Stuttgart, a palace of culture in Aalen and a hospital in Myanmar. You can read the full article here.
And yet another 1st prize! Siedlungswerk Stuttgart held a restricted competition for the extension of the Fasanenhof School and the redesign of Delpweg. The aim is to develop a new, high-quality and vibrant multi-generational residential quarter, incorporating the redevelopment plans for the Sankt Ulrich church site, especially the design of the outdoor spaces. In the ideas section, the competition required a proposal for the extension of the neighbouring Fasanenhof School to include a canteen, along with additional school and childcare rooms on the plot adjoining to the north. Our design is based on an urban development approach that convinced the jury.
The new year starts with fantastic news: We have been awarded the planned conversion project for Christuskirche in Reutlingen. It is the second-largest Protestant church in Reutlingen after Marienkirche. However, since it has become too large for the church community’s current needs, there are plans to expand the usage of Christuskirche Reutlingen into a diaconal centre through appropriate modifications and additional buildings. For this purpose, the Protestant church community of Reutlingen announced a restricted competition. Our design was awarded 1st prize! It demonstrates that it is definitely possible to enhance historical church sites of urban significance by enriching their uses, keeping them economically viable and preserving them as valuable focal points of urban society and making them fit for the future, while appreciating their status as listed monuments.