Perhaps it is quite fitting for the award winner, the San Riemo cooperative residential building in Munich-Riem, that the exhibition for the DAM Prize 2022 was not initially shown in the German Architecture Museum itself in Frankfurt, but had to be moved to the Interim in Henschelstraße due to renovation work. At its presentation in Munich, the show is not in a museum like the Architekturmuseum in the Pinakothek der Moderne, which one could at least have imagined, but is shown in the White Box behind the Ostbahnhof.
Works district instead of art area, up-and-coming, lively mixed-use area instead of dignified, museum-heavy quarter. If you want, you could interpret that as a statement from those responsible for the DAM Prize, along the lines of: We already show what is important to us through the location of the presentation. Interesting, award-worthy building today is less iconic star architecture, but socially relevant, diverse planning in places that allow architecture and urban development in many directions.
Ultimately, however, there is another, much simpler reason why the architecture award winners of the DAM can now be seen in the white box: when last year the “Werk 12” by the Rotterdam office MVRDV, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the white box, was voted the best building in Germany, the jury got to know and obviously love the Werksviertel. The 26 “best buildings in/from Germany” selected for the DAM Prize 2022 are now presented on partition walls and hanging boards, mostly with the help of photos. The award winner and three other finalists have additional information and illustrative material.
Modern working cathedral and a finalist in the DAM Prize 2022: the new building of the Axel Springer Verlag in Berlin by OMA.
(Photo: Laurian Ghinitoiu)
The exhibition is not very sensual. And unfortunately you sometimes have to slip behind the hanging panels to see the best visualizations. The focus is on the information content. It is concisely summarized, which allows for a concentrated overview. A free short visit during the lunch break is always possible.
Built Modernism in Stuttgart and finalist in the DAM Prize 2022: the John Cranko Ballet School by Burger Rudacs Architects.
(Photo: Brigida Gonzalez)
Since 2007, the German Architecture Museum has honored outstanding buildings in Germany every year. This year’s jury, chaired by Christiane Thalgott, a former Munich city planning officer, selected 23 properties in Germany and three examples abroad from a long list of more than 100 buildings completed between autumn 2019 and spring 2021. It’s about new forms of living, innovative working environments, forms of research living, cultural and educational buildings and public space.
The three research houses by Florian Nagler Architects in Bad Aibling also made it to the finals of the DAM Prize 2022. They appear identical, but one is made of wood, one is made of brick and one is made of lightweight concrete.
(Photo: Schels Lanz PK Odessa)
The winner, the “San Riemo” cooperative residential building in Riem by Arge Summacumfemmer Büro Juliane Greb, has often and rightly been highly praised for its flexible, innovative and future-oriented living concept. Visually, the new Axel Springer building in Berlin by OMA falls into the “Eyecatcher” category. Although it was a worthy finalist because of its beautiful, new working environment, it lost to “San Riemo” just like the John Cranko School in Stuttgart by Burger Rudacs Architekten and the three research houses by Florian Nagler in Bad Aibling. Four finalists, so different that some people wonder if they are comparing apples with pears or even fragrant mangoes. But who says that the most exotic fruit is always the sweetest?
DAM Prize 2022 – the 26 best buildings in/from Germany as guests in the Werksviertel-Mitte, White Box, Atelierstraße 18 (2nd floor), until May 29, Wed.-Fri. 2-8 p.m., Sat.-Sun. 12pm-6pm