What defines a place and gives it significance? Places are far more than geographical points or architectural structures. They are created when people come together and claim a space as their own. Accessible places are invaluable for a free society.
By creating inspiring, open places in our society, the Schöpflin Foundation can have a positive impact on individuals and on how we live together. With this key idea in mind, the foundation has established the cultural and debate venue Werkraum Schöpflin and the Schöpflin School in Lörrach. These places offer people stimulating spaces and opportunities to exchange ideas, develop and grow in a variety of ways.
This idea also guided us in the construction of a building ensemble in Berlin-Neukölln comprising our subsidiary institution Publix, House for Journalism and the Public Sphere, and the Spore Initiative. Our aim was to create places that would have a positive impact on their respective fields and neighbourhoods. The strong interest shown by visitors to both houses, as well as the recognition from experts, encourages us to continue on this path.
The Spore Initiative provides space for exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and seminars at the intersection of climate justice, ecological regeneration, and education. Publix has established itself with its own programme of events on journalism and digital technologies, media literacy, public opinion formation, and democracy. It is also a workplace for several dozen civil-society organisations and media professionals, and includes film and audio studios, guest apartments, event spaces, and a café.
The two neighbouring buildings were designed by the architectural firm AFF Architekten Berlin and opened in 2023 (Spore Initiative) and 2024 (Publix). Their front facades face the busy Hermannstraße, while an Evangelical cemetery lies behind them. Two traces of the sites’ former uses have been preserved and integrated into the architectural composition: a listed beacon mast from the now-closed Tempelhof Airport, and the cemetery’s entrance gate.
On 11 September 2025, the two buildings received the »Nike« Award of the Association of German Architects (BDA) in the category »Social Engagement«. Within the professional community, it is regarded as the highest honour in the field of architecture. Awarded every three years, it recognises outstanding architecture across Germany in six categories: Education, Social Engagement, Activation, Housing, Social Intervention, and Working with Existing Structures. At the award ceremony in Erfurt, the jury praised not only the »pleasant proportions of the building volumes and the exceptionally high level of facade detailing«, which make the ensemble visible »as an ornamental presence in the urban space«, but especially its integration into the neighbourhood: »At the same time, the ensemble has not become a purely architectural site; thanks to its strong socio-political offering and partially public uses, it has been embraced unexpectedly quickly by local audiences as a place to work and connect – in the best sense, an ›open space‹ for everyone.«
The jury also commended the »subtle integration of the listed beacon mast from Tempelhof Airport and the (relocated) historic cemetery gate, which have been seamlessly incorporated as ›spolia‹ of local history.«
At the 2025 German Architecture Award ceremony in Berlin, the building ensemble of Publix and the Spore Initiative received one of ten honors. The German Architecture Award is presented every two years by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building together with the Federal Chamber of German Architects. The procedure is carried out by the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR).
The national award consists of one main prize and ten honors for buildings that stimulate public debate on building culture and sustainability in Germany. It recognises projects that serve as design and construction role models for the future and that take ecological, economic, and socio-cultural aspects into account. According to the jury, the buildings of Publix and the Spore Initiative make a significant contribution to maintaining a high standard of building in Germany.
A high-quality publication has been released to accompany the German Architecture Award, presenting all honored buildings in detail. It is available on the website of the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning.
On 7 May 2025, the foundation’s building ensemble received the first prize of the polisAWARD for Urban Land Use. The project was recognised for exemplary achievement of its urban-planning goals: integrating into Hermannstraße, mediating between perimeter block development and park areas, and incorporating historical relics. The polisAWARD is a prize for project and urban development and is presented in eight categories, each reflecting different aspects of urban transformation. A 15-member expert jury chaired by Reiner Nagel, Chair of the Federal Foundation for Building Culture, praised the project as an »exemplary encouragement for non-profit-oriented construction projects that address the societal challenges of our time and have a far-reaching impact on their neighbourhood.«
In its statement of recognition, the jury continued: »The project stands out for its holistic approach to sustainable urban development. It combines innovative urban design with community-oriented uses and sets both architectural and social impulses. Both buildings are prototypical and distinguished by unique usage concepts. The adaptive reuse of materials, the integrative planning process, and the close interrelation between place, context, and function make the ensemble exceptional. The synergy between the ›Spore Initiative‹ and ›Publix‹ demonstrates how architecture not only creates spaces but can actively contribute to social transformation.«
On 31 January 2025, the Spore Initiative building was honoured with the DAM Prize 2025 for Architecture in Germany. The prize has been awarded annually by the German Architecture Museum (DAM) in Frankfurt am Main since 2007. The selection follows a multi-stage process in which the jury first compiles a shortlist of nominated projects from around 100 buildings, and then undertakes in-depth site visits to the ensembles that make it into the final round. The jury particularly praised the »calm and inviting architecture, which lowers thresholds and integrates the neighbourhood«. The building is described as a successful example of urban integration: its placement on Hermannstraße has created a small square that enhances the quality of public space along the busy street. With its flowing foyer spaces, café, and areas for events and exhibitions, the building offers an invitation to explore – including the garden to the rear.
»It is an archaic and powerfully beautiful building that can hold its own in a context where opportunity and lack of opportunity lie close together. The wonderfully composed forecourts and the breathtaking ground floor say: ›I am a public place.‹ At the back, something close to an idyll has emerged. A stroke of luck.«
Regula Lüscher, architect, former Senate Building Director/State Secretary, Chair of the Jury
The jury chaired by Regula Lüscher is composed of the museum’s director and curators, architects, critics, and other experts.
The Honorary Award of the Berlin Regional Association of German Architects BDA Berlin is presented every three years. It recognises both architects and clients for outstanding achievements in architectural artistry in the state of Berlin. The winners were honoured at the award ceremony on 14 November 2024 at the Deutsches Architektur Zentrum (DAZ). The internationally composed expert jury, chaired by Alexander Poetzsch, highlighted the ensemble’s »sensitive elegance, cohesion, and openness« in its statement. The jury noted that the building enriches its urban context, is designed with meticulous attention to detail, and functions excellently. The architects succeeded in seamlessly integrating the striking buildings, made of red and partly recycled brick, into the Hermannstraße streetscape while incorporating listed elements such as a cemetery gate and the beacon mast from the former Tempelhof Airport.
All awarded projects, along with twelve additional shortlisted projects, were presented in a multi-week exhibition. A catalogue documents the BDA PRIZE BERLIN 2024.
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