For many years, the city of Heidelberg has been setting positive accents in urban development by inviting entries for competitions for building projects of significance for the cityscape. An Advisory Council for Architecture and Urban Design (Gestaltungsbeirat) was established to further stimulate building culture and support the preservation of historical monuments in the city of Heidelberg. The aim is to ensure urban planning and architectural quality, to achieve a sustainable qualitative increase in planning and building culture, to increase its acceptance among the population and to prevent undesirable urban planning or architectural developments.

For the years 2023 and 2024, Prof. Benedikt Schulz (Chair of Design and Construction I) was appointed to the committee of the Design Advisory Board of the City of Heidelberg. There, as an independent member, he will act in an advisory capacity for the Department of Structural Engineering - primarily for projects of urban planning significance with regard to their impact on the cityscape and landscape.