Award for pioneering educational building in Neckarbogen
The German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and the German Sustainability Award Foundation have honoured the Josef-Schwarz-Schule in Heilbronn with the 14th German Sustainability Award for Architecture. The project by Behnisch Architekten and developer Schwarz Immobilienmanagement GmbH & Co. KG prevailed against nine other nominated entries. The announcement took place on 21 October 2026 during the Sustainable Architecture Forum at the Baumhainhalle in Mannheim's Luisenpark.
The new school building is situated in Neckarbogen, an urban model quarter for sustainable neighbourhood development. Across the roughly 60,000-square-metre site elevated above the street space, the design team arranged three terraced structures on a landscaped plateau to house the primary, middle, and upper schools. By stacking the functions vertically, the scheme makes efficient use of limited inner-city land. Landscaped open spaces on the first-floor level connect the individual wings as a shared schoolyard deck.
Shared facilities such as the foyer, sports hall, cafeteria, and auditorium are located below the plateau. An integrated family centre serves as a link between the school and the neighbourhood. The expert jury highlighted the project's pioneering character for contemporary educational architecture, commending the climate-adapted and space-efficient layout of the campus. Prof. Amandus Samsøe Sattler, DGNB President and Chairman of the Jury, pointed out that the nominated projects create impressively identity-forming spaces for people.
Finalists and outlook for the awards ceremony
Two further projects reached the final of the prestigious competition. Kersten Kopp Architekten designed the 340-square-metre Moabiter Kinderhof children and youth centre in Berlin, which was commended for its flexible spatial layout and mindful treatment of the outdoor grounds. In Leipzig, the jury honoured the conversion of the socio-cultural centre naTo e.V. by the practice SUMMACUMFEMMER. The architects upgraded the existing structure whilst maximising the reuse of building materials and working closely with local craftspeople.
- —Josef-Schwarz-Schule, Heilbronn: Winner of the 14th German Sustainability Award for Architecture, delivered by Behnisch Architekten and Schwarz Immobilienmanagement
- —Moabiter Kinderhof, Berlin: Finalist by Kersten Kopp Architekten with 340 square metres of usable floor area for social participation
- —naTo e.V., Leipzig: Finalist by SUMMACUMFEMMER as an exemplary circular transformation of a cultural venue
The specialist forum in Mannheim was hosted jointly by the DGNB and the Chambers of Architects of Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, and North Rhine-Westphalia. It explored the appropriate use of building services and technology in structures. The official honouring of the award winners will take place during the evening gala of the 19th German Sustainability Award on 3 and 4 December 2026 in Düsseldorf.
