The Chemnitz Viaduct has been honoured with the German Civil Engineering Award 2026, a State Prize of the Federal Republic of Germany for outstanding achievements in civil engineering. The award was presented on 14 October 2026 by Dr Olaf Joachim, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB), at the Academy of Arts in Berlin. The honour goes to KREBS+KIEFER Ingenieure GmbH as the responsible engineering firm and to DB InfraGO AG in its role as client.
The awarding of the German Civil Engineering Award, supported by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building and the Federal Chamber of Engineers, highlights the central importance of engineering services for the design and preservation of our built environment. State Secretary Dr Olaf Joachim emphasised that the awards ceremony brings the civil engineering achievements of our country into the spotlight and showcases the breadth of knowledge and experience with which engineers maintain and develop infrastructure daily. He also highlighted the innovative strength with which current challenges, such as those posed by sustainable raw materials or the efficient use of resources, are implemented in construction projects.
Civil Engineering in Existing Structures: Chemnitz Viaduct
The Chemnitz Viaduct convinced the jury with its consistent approach to construction in existing structures. The listed railway viaduct was repaired through targeted refurbishment measures and the replacement of individual components. At the same time, it was adapted to the current and future requirements of rail traffic. This engineering achievement demonstrates how the preservation of historic buildings can be combined with the demands of modern infrastructure. Instead of new construction, a precise analysis of the substance was carried out, followed by targeted refurbishment to qualify it for continued use.
This project serves as an example of how engineers contribute to resource protection and the extension of the lifespan of existing infrastructures through precise planning and innovative technical solutions. This approach gains particular relevance against the backdrop of the extensive need for renovation of bridges and other civil engineering structures. The Chemnitz Viaduct thus symbolises central future tasks of civil engineering: the preservation, technical advancement and long-term adaptation of existing structures to new requirements.
Young Talent Award and Further Recognitions
The Young Talent Award, endowed with 10,000 EUR, was presented to str.ucture GmbH for the Museum Historische Oberamteistraße in Reutlingen. This project combines demanding structural engineering with construction in a historical context and the use of wood as a renewable building material. A space frame made of local silver fir replicates the cubature of a historic house and spans a multi-storey void above a historic cellar vault. In addition to its function for the museum, the supporting structure contributes to securing the neighbouring existing building and also accounts for seismic loads. This award recognises the innovation and sensitive handling of historical context by the next generation of engineers.
In addition to the State Prize and the Young Talent Award, five other nominated projects were honoured. The jury thus acknowledged the high quality of the entire final selection of the German Civil Engineering Award 2026. The evaluation of the total of 41 submitted projects was based on criteria such as construction, innovation, design, sustainability, and resource efficiency. The awards reflect the breadth of contemporary engineering achievements, from the preservation of listed buildings to innovative timber and steel structures and the future-proof upgrading of existing infrastructure.
