The Working Committee of Historic Cities held their Autumn Meeting on November 13th and 14th 2014 in the city of Stralsund.

Since 1973, the Working Committee of Historic Cities deals with challenges in urban planning of historic cities. After the reunification of Germany in 1990, the formerly East German cities of Stralsund, Meißen and Görlitz joined the West German cities of Bamberg, Lübeck and Regensburg. The city representatives meet three times a year, always focusing on a specific topic depending on the location of the meeting.

During this year’s autumn meeting in Stralsund the winners of the Bauherrenpreis (Prize for Building Owners) of each city were selected by the Working Committee of Historic Cities. The prize was created to honour the commitment of building owners and developers in both restoration and new construction. Only those projects which enhance the status of the historic cities and give a good example for private or public commitment are taken into consideration.The Bauherrenpreis (Prize for Building Owners) is awarded every four years. Every city proposes up to three projects, out of which there is one winner to be selected. Applications can be handed in by private as well as public investors, who have considerably contributed to the strengthening of the historic urban character during the last four years.The prize consists out of a financial award of EUR 1500 and is only to be paid to private investors. In case of a winning project handed in by a public authority, the investor is to be honoured with a plaque.

„It is due to the nature of the subject, that all applicants are very good“, said the third mayor of Bamberg, Wolfgang Metzner, on the selection procedure. According to Dr. Michael Wieler from Görlitz, the intention of the contest can be summarized in one word: motivation. “Building owners are supposed to be encouraged to take risky projects into their own hands.” Nine Applications were handed in for Stralsund this year. The winner is a new construction in the Badstüberstraße. The building owner was able to fit 100m² of living space on to his 38 m² property.

The winners of the Bauherrenpreis (Prize for Building Owners) of the Working Committee of Historic Cities:

Regensburg Andreasstraße 1 – Residential and Commercial Building

Bamberg Bicycle Parking Garage and two further private house owners

Görlitz Emmerich Hotel Am Untermarkt

Lübeck Kaiserturm in the Kaiserstraße

Meißen Burgstraße 14 Residential house just as Neugasse 32a – Attachment to an old building for a doctor’s surgery

Stralsund Badstüberstraße 21A – New Building – Residential House