On June 17, 2021 the time had finally come - Federal Minister of Economics Altmaier and Saxon Prime Minister Kretschmer honored the winners of the student competitions on site in Weißwasser.

The competitions with the interdisciplinary topic "Structural change in Weisswasser: Innovative living and working environments" were held in the winter semester 2020/21 as a cooperation project between the Federal Office for Economics and Export Control (BAFA), the Professorship for Design and Construction II (Prof. Michael Vaerst) and the Professorship for urban planning (Prof. Angela Mensing-de Jong).

The Media Service Saxony reports:

Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier: "The designs for the new BAFA property in Weißwasser and the design of the quarter have a radiance beyond the region. The focus here is on sustainability and ecology - just like in the work of the BAFA branch. With its funding projects on building renovation and electromobility, the BAFA in Weißwasser makes an important contribution to the federal government's climate protection policy. Upper Lusatia is thus sending a strong signal: as a model region for the energy transition, with valuable know-how and important jobs."

© BMWi

Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer: "Together, the federal, state and local authorities are sending out another strong signal for structural development. The new BAFA building in Weißwasser not only creates the best working conditions and high-quality jobs, but also enhances inner-city areas. This helps to offer the people in the Upper Lusatia region a long-term perspective. I am particularly pleased that young people participate in the brainstorming process through the student designs. Because clever structural policy is created by clever minds - and we in Saxony use this potential together."

© Pawel Sosnowski

BAFA President Torsten Safarik: "The BAFA branch has grown extremely quickly since the decision by Minister Altmaier and Prime Minister Kretschmer: We have already signed over 200 employment contracts. With their work, our new colleagues are making an important contribution to the structural change in the Lausitz region and to the federal government's climate protection measures. The winners of the student architecture competitions for the new BAFA building and for urban development are a great example of how sustainable, innovative urban and building planning can be conceived and implemented together. "

Together with the TU Dresden, BAFA organized the student competition “Structural Change in Weisswasser: Innovative Living and Working Worlds” in the structural engineering and urban planning departments. In the building construction category, Paula Noack prevailed with her design. Carlotta Ickert and Paul Gucinski won first prize in the urban development category with their design "Draw Circles".

The BAFA branch in Weißwasser was set up in spring 2020. The settlement is part of the federal government's package of measures, which is intended to mitigate the consequences of the early coal phase-out. In Weißwasser, the federal funding for efficient buildings (BEG), the lignite adjustment allowance (APG) and the funding guideline environmental bonus for electromobility are implemented. The BEG is a central funding program in the field of energetic building renovation. The APG makes it easier for older workers in the coal sector to retire. The environmental bonus is paid out as a bonus for the purchase of electric cars and was increased by an innovation bonus in July 2020.

Source: https://www.medienservice.sachsen.de/medien/news/253304

Further press comments and reports on the award ceremony on June 17, 2021:

• Joint press release as a report from BAFA and as a report from BMWi. You can also watch the video here: BMWi video 
• Article Lausitzer Rundschau LR Online from June 17, 2021 with photo gallery.
• Article Leipziger Zeitung from June 17, 2021
• Video by MDR TV from June 17, 2021 in the Mediathek.
• Article Sächsischen Zeitung from June 18, 2021

Information on the judging process and the jury meeting on April 8, 2021 in the Faculty's news: Student competition structural change in Weißwasser decided

You can find out more about the competition entries and the results of the urban planning division here: Prize winners in the urban planning division
Documentation of the task and results of the urban development department on the website of the Urban Development Professorship: WiSe 2020/21 Structural Change in Weißwasser

You can find out more about the competition entries and the results of the building construction division here: Prize winners in the building construction division
Documentation of the task and results of the structural engineering department on the website of the Professorship Design and Constructing II: WS 2020/21 Structural Change in Weißwasser