Nominations for the German Engineering Prize 2026 have been announced following intensive deliberations by the expert jury. From 41 submitted applications, seven pioneering structures were selected to compete for this significant award. The Federal Republic of Germany's state prize is awarded every two years and recognises exemplary engineering structures and achievements that demonstrate innovative strength, design quality, and a responsible approach to resources.
The focus is on projects that impress with sustainable concepts, technical excellence, and their contribution to the built environment. Additionally, an emerging talent award will be presented to acknowledge the commitment of young engineers and to serve as an incentive for innovation, responsibility, and sustainability in construction. The nominated projects span various regions of Germany, from Berlin to Reutlingen, and showcase diverse engineering approaches.
Details on the nominated structures
One of the nominated projects is the Bauhaus-Archiv Tower in Berlin. This is a five-storey steel-timber hybrid building with column-free interiors and an irregular external steel support structure. The structure, managed by the engineering firm B+G Bollinger und Grohmann Ingenieure GmbH and the client Land Berlin, demonstrates new planning and design possibilities of computer-aided experimental work processes.
The Hyparschale in Magdeburg, client Eigenbetrieb Kommunales Gebäudemanagement (Eb KGm), is characterised by the renovation of a shell structure through reinforcement with thin layers of carbon concrete. The engineering firm CARBOCON GMBH applied a method that restores structural integrity and enables new use, while the renovation was gentle on the substance and reduced CO2 emissions compared to alternative measures.
In Chemnitz, the listed Chemnitz Viaduct underwent comprehensive refurbishment under the leadership of KREBS+KIEFER Ingenieure GmbH and DB InfraGO AG. The principle of 'continuing construction within existing structures' was followed here. Through targeted upgrading measures and the replacement of specific components, long-term use for rail traffic was secured. This approach underlines the importance of preserving existing infrastructure.
Handling existing structures and innovative materials
Another example is the "Sprung über die Emscher – Silver Arrow" in Castrop-Rauxel, a more than 400-meter-long, multi-curved all-steel structure. The project, designed by INGE Schüßler-Plan with DKFS for Emschergenossenschaft, fully computer-optimised its geometry, structural behaviour, and material use. The force progression is visualised by the form of the structure. In Reutlingen, str.ucture GmbH created a space frame structure made of local silver fir for the Museum Historische Oberamteistraße for the City of Reutlingen. It recreates the volume of a historic house, spans a multi-storey open space, and stabilises the adjacent building under earthquake and service loads.
The bridge over the Seeblickweg in Stuttgart, a project by Harrer Ingenieure Gesellschaft Beratender Ingenieure VBI mbH for the Civil Engineering Department of the City of Stuttgart, implements an innovative timber-carbon-concrete composite construction method in an integral two-span design. The design consistently utilises the strengths of the materials used and combines them into a high-performance support structure. In Worms, the Nibelungen Bridge, a project by MKP GmbH for Landesbetrieb Mobilität Rheinland-Pfalz, was analysed using a holistic concept of digital structural preservation, and its remaining service life was extended through inventory analysis, monitoring, and model-based recalculation. The collected data is bundled into a digital model to enable prognoses regarding structural behaviour and an assessment of the structure's condition.
