Won! Two industrial heritage projects have been announced as equal-ranking winners of the STADTUMBAU-AWARD 2025: one submitted by the Schwemme Association in Halle (Saale) with their project “LEHM-BAU-KULTUR”, and the other by the City of Naumburg (Saale) with their project “From Slaughterhouse to Theater.” Together, they demonstrate: in times of dwindling resources and an urgent need for sustainable and climate-friendly construction, a return to existing building stock is not simply a necessity nor merely a virtue. It is smart, contemporary, and forward-looking.
This convinced the jury: Volunteers have been working for years to rescue and renovate the more than 300-year-old Schwemme Brewery, a fire ruin, in accordance with historic preservation guidelines. They want to sustainably revive the house and courtyard as a third place for education, building culture, and community. Since 2025, they have also been working as #NeueBauhäusler in the state initiative “Together for a New European Bauhaus.” The goal: to establish a regional center for professional and amateur training in clay construction. A project with national appeal as a model for sustainable, public-interest-oriented urban development.
In Naumburg (Saale), the old slaughterhouse, which had been used for various short-term purposes for years and then stood empty, was successfully converted into a new venue for the municipal theater. In an exemplary manner, the historic fabric of the industrial building was preserved, construction was sustainable and cost-effective, and only one new addition, an intermediate structure, was added to create a foyer as an ingenious connection between the halls.
Twenty entries from 14 cities took part in the competition organized by the two joint organizers, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Digital Affairs and the Competence Center for Urban Redevelopment, with five making it onto the shortlist. The award ceremony took place on November 6, 2025, in the city of last year's winner, Groningen.
The award-winning films are available at: www.stadtumbau-award.de
Go directly to the film about the "Schwemme"
Copyright: ©Markus Scholz
Impressions
Published! “STADTUMBAU 35”, a cross-media publication marking the 35th anniversary of the state. Focus: winners, cities, and projects. With QR codes for films, posters, and a digital exhibition. Available free of charge at:
Artikel in der MZ:
Award für Stadtumbau: Ein großer Preis für die Schwemme in Halle
