Pioneering architecture with brick: German Brick Award 2024 presented

Bricks: building blocks for vibrant cityscapes

Award winners, laudators and interested parties travelled to Munich from all over Germany. With the words "Bricks create structure. Viewed individually, they can appear inconspicuous, but together they harmonise to form an impressive building. Through their use, they bring life to cityscapes. As a building material, they are a proven tradition, but remain adaptable to modern construction methods. Paired with innovative solutions for energy and resource efficiency, they can contribute to climate-friendly and sustainable construction. The German Brick Award is the sixth time that this achievement has been honoured throughout Germany," said Dr Rolf Bösinger, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building and patron of the award ceremony.

Award winners in detail: monolithic and multi-shell

The administration building of the Unionhilfswerk Berlin, designed by Baumschlager Eberle Architekten Berlin, was honoured in the "monolithic" category. The building impresses with its simple elegance, clear design language and holistic approach to sustainability. The glass atrium, which visually connects employees across all levels, is particularly noteworthy.

The Potsdam Synagogue Centre by Haberland Architekten PartGmbB won the main prize in the "multi-shell" category. The sand-coloured brick façade combines the tradition of sacred buildings in the Mark Brandenburg with cosmopolitan architecture. The intelligent vertical use of the narrow site has created a place that is both a house of prayer and a cultural centre.

Special prize "Young talent": Twice converted

In addition to the main prizes, special prizes were awarded in five categories and ten commendations. The special prize for "Young talent" went to the Luise 19e community centre in Werder/Havel, planned by OFEA andjurekbrüggen. This participatively developed project

This participatory project impresses with the reuse of bricks in a repurposed building, environmentally conscious insulation made from hemp lime and a photovoltaic system on the green roof.

Focus on sustainability and promoting young talent

In addition to the 190 projects submitted for the German Brick Award, the first-ever student award with 75 creative and visionary submissions from 36 universities, colleges and academies from all over Germany shows just how versatile the building material brick can be.

"The German Brick Award impressively demonstrates how our traditional building material contributes to sustainable building culture with innovative solutions and at the same time promotes forward-looking architecture. As an association, we are committed to further improving the framework conditions for the use of bricks and thus promoting sustainable, energy-efficient construction," said BVZi Vice President Johannes Edmüller, summarising the evening.

Brick: tradition and regional building material with future potential

Bavaria's Construction Minister Christian Bernreiter, represented at the award ceremony by Head of Office Dr Thomas Gruber, praised the regional importance of brick in the run-up to the ceremony: "Brick has a long tradition. When used correctly, its lifespan is almost unlimited and it is available regionally in almost all parts of Bavaria. It is not for nothing that almost 70 per cent of all residential buildings in Bavaria are built with brickwork."

The wide range of bricks used - from modern backing bricks to reused old bricks - shows how versatile this building material is. Bricks can be adapted to a wide variety of construction methods and requirements, whether for sustainable new buildings, heritage-appropriate renovations or creative recycling projects. In this way, they combine tradition with innovation and make an important contribution to the architecture of today and tomorrow.

The award-winning works will be on display for a fortnight at the Bavarian Chamber of Architects and will then be shown throughout Germany as a travelling exhibition. A brochure is available as an e-book at www.deutscher-ziegelpreis.de/publikationen.