The Association of German Architects in Berlin has honoured the building ensemble of the two institutions, Publix and Spore Initiative, with a first prize. The Schöpflin Foundation is the client behind the buildings in Berlin-Neukölln. The two new buildings, opened in 2023 (Spore Initiative) and 2024 (Publix), were designed and built by AFF Architekten Berlin. The BDA Berlin prize is awarded every three years and honours architects and clients together for outstanding architectural achievements in the state of Berlin.

‘This is a great honour and recognition of the work of recent years for the entire planning team - above all AFF Architekten - as well as for our construction team at the Schöpflin Foundation,’ said Hans Schöpflin, Chairman of the Schöpflin Foundation, and Tim Göbel, Executive Director.

The international jury of experts from the BDA Berlin, chaired by Alexander Poetzsch, highlighted the ‘sensitive elegance, harmony and openness’ of the ensemble in its statement of reasons for the jury's decision. The architects have succeeded in seamlessly integrating the striking buildings made of red, partly recycled brick into the row of houses on Hermannstrasse, while also integrating listed elements such as a cemetery portal and the beacon mast of the former Tempelhof Airport.

The award-winning buildings house two institutions that trace their roots back to the work of the benefactor Hans Schöpflin. The Spore Initiative is committed to promoting biocultural diversity by providing space for exhibitions, workshops, lectures and seminars at the interface of climate justice, ecological regeneration and education. The Publix – House for Journalism and the Public, founded by the Schöpflin Foundation, has set itself the goal of securing a diverse and independent media landscape in Germany and Europe, promoting journalistic innovation and strengthening democratic discourse.

A total of 114 projects from a range of different typologies were submitted for this year's BDA Berlin Prize, including both small-scale, sensitive interventions and prominent urban development projects. The award ceremony took place on 14 November at the German Architecture Centre (DAZ) in Berlin-Mitte. An exhibition for the BDA Prize Berlin 2024 will be on display in the gallery of the BDA Berlin from 16 December 2024 to 31 January 2025.