The building ensemble of Publix and the Spore Initiative in Berlin-Neukölln has once again received recognition. Both buildings were commissioned by the Schöpflin Foundation. On September 11, the two projects were awarded the highest architectural prize of the Association of German Architects (BDA), the »Nike«, in the category »Social Engagement«.
The Berlin-based firm AFF Architects designed and realized the ensemble. The Spore Initiative opened in 2023, followed by the completion of Publix – House for Journalism and Public Sphere in the subsequent year.
The BDA presents the Nike Prize every three years to honor outstanding architecture across Germany in various categories. At the award ceremony on September 11 in Erfurt, the jury praised not only the »pleasing proportions of the buildings and the exceptionally high quality of façade details« but also their social integration into the neighborhood: »[…] with its strong socio-political program and partly public uses, it was unexpectedly quickly embraced by the local community as a place of work and encounter – in the best sense an ›open space‹ for everyone.«
Recognition by the Federal Ministry of Building and the Federal Chamber of Architects
On September 18, as part of the German Architecture Prize 2025 award ceremony in Berlin, the Publix and Spore Initiative ensemble was honored as one of ten finalists.
The German Architecture Prize, awarded every two years by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building together with the Federal Chamber of Architects, is recognized as the country’s state prize for architecture. The procedure is administered by the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (BBR). It honors projects that serve as a design and technical model for the future of construction, while also integrating ecological, economic, and socio-cultural aspects into their design. According to the jury, the Publix and Spore Initiative buildings make a significant contribution to raising the standard of architecture in Germany, which is why they were named finalists alongside nine other projects.
The main prize, the German Architecture Prize 2025, was awarded to »Franklin Village« in Mannheim, designed by the Berlin-based firm Sauerbruch Hutton.
