The design competition for urban development and open space planning in part of the new Blankenburger Süden urban quarter, announced in May 2025, has been successfully completed.
The Berlin-based planning firm Studio RW has presented the most convincing concept for a vibrant, mixed-use, socially diverse neighborhood. One of Berlin’s most significant new construction projects is thus taking shape.
“I am extremely pleased that the twelve international teams have achieved diverse and convincing results for the southern part of Blankenburg. We have achieved the main objective of the competition: a high-quality, comprehensive urban and open space planning concept for the district has been developed, incorporating the timber construction typologies proposed by the homeowners’ association and combining them with other typologies. In the district center, varied spatial sequences with a high quality of stay are being created. To the east, a loose, urban development structure forms a transition to the open landscape.”
Professor Kahlfeldt, Senate Building Director and State Secretary for Urban Development
On September 11 and 12, 2025, the two-day jury meeting for the urban development and open space planning competition for the southern section of the New City Quarter in southern Blankenburg took place, with the involvement of the general public. Twelve renowned planning teams from Germany and Europe participated. Chaired by Prof. Dr. Barbara Engel, the jury evaluated the twelve submitted competition entries and selected the design by the planning firm Studio RW as the winner. The public was able to provide the jury with direct feedback on the designs on the first evening of the jury meeting.
The teams’ task was to develop an overall concept for the development of a vibrant, mixed-use, socially diverse neighborhood with high ecological and open-space planning quality. Affordable and attractive housing, forward-looking commercial buildings, and recreational facilities are to be built. A new school and several daycare centers are also planned. The neighborhood combines wooden modular buildings with conventional construction techniques to create high-quality urban spaces, reduce housing costs, and minimize CO2 emissions.
The award-winning design convincingly addresses these diverse requirements for the planned district on the one hand, and the desired connection to the existing urban and landscape space, as well as the existing neighborhoods, on the other. The competition results will lead to a framework plan and serve as the basis for the subsequent urban land-use plan.
1st Prize: STUDIO RW
2nd Prize: CITYFÖRSTER architecture+urbanism and urbanegestalt
3rd prize: superwien urbanism and ZT 3:0 landscape architecture
Credit: Studio Wessendorf and Grieger Harzer Dvorak Landscape Architects
Recognition: ISA International Urban Design Studio Landscape Architecture and Hannes Hörr GrüneWelle Landscape Architecture
