Three awards and three nominations for the Fritz Hoeger Prize: we are delighted for the architects!

On 6 October 2017, the German Architecture Centre (DAZ) in Berlin once again hosted the presentation of the Fritz Hoeger Prize 2017 for brick architecture. The brick manufacturer Deppe Backstein was also in attendance. And with good reason: The team of the brick manufacturer from Uelsen is pleased to receive three awards and three nominations this year. Among the projects awarded the Fritz-Höger Prize, for which Deppe Backstein developed and produced the bricks together with the architects, are the Bremer Landesbank by the Caruso St John office (here is a short video of the announcement of the Grand Prix winner), the Musikforum in Bochum by Bez+Kock Architekten and the Volta Galvani residential district in Eindhoven by Geurst & Schulze Architekten.

This year's nominations include the City Archive Delft by Winhov Architecten, the residential complex Burgemeester De Meesterstraat in Harderwijk by KAW Architecten and the crematorium in St. Gallen by Andy Senn Architects.

With more than 600 entries and a great international response, the Fritz Hoeger Prize, now in its fourth year, has consolidated its position among the most important architectural prizes. Not only because of the quantity but above all because of the high quality of the entries, the jury, which met in July, was not given an easy task. 60 projects were finally nominated, from which a final winner was chosen. You can find a list of all awarded objects here.

Outstanding craftsmanship: Grand Prix for Bremer Landesbank
The Bremer Landesbank from the architectural office Caruso St John Architects was honoured with the Grand Prix. The building convinced the jury because it demonstrates the entire design potential that brick building currently offers. Furthermore, the project played off the material brick with seldom seen sophistication. With its craftsmanship down to the smallest detail, Bremer Landesbank is an outstanding example of what contemporary urban architecture can look like today, according to the jury.

The dark brick façade with its many curvatures, lines, columns and ledges is composed of 65 different shaped bricks. All of them and also the remaining bricks of the façade are from the brick manufacturer Deppe Backstein from Uelsen. With the help of a specially adapted water-stroke press, Deppe succeeded in pressing many different shaped bricks at the same time, thus reducing the production time. Managing director Dr. Dirk Deppe retrospectively perceives the development and production process as an extraordinary experience: "All of us in the team have grown with this task and are therefore all the more pleased about this award".

Bochum Symphony: Special Mention for Musikforum Bochum

In addition to Bremer Landesbank, the Anneliese Brost Musikforum Ruhr in Bochum also received awards. The project planned by Bez+Kock Architekten received the Special Mention award in the category of renovation projects. Bez+Kock turned the Marienkirche, which has been profaned since 2002, into a foyer and the centre of two new buildings. Deppe Backstein developed the water-struck bricks for the new, complementary buildings, which appear almost beige to white in the overall view due to the whitewashing, but with the translucent red shard they resume the colour of the original red brick of the Marienkirche.

Oriental flair in Eindhoven: Special Mention for district Volta Galvani

Another project that was awarded the Fritz Hoeger Prize and for which Deppe developed the bricks is the Volta Galvani district in Eindhoven. This project was also awarded Special Mention in the category of residential construction. The district in the Netherlands is characterised by bright gables, bright colours and therefore offers a very individual and lively appearance.