Jena façade prize goes to Ammerbach

The winners of the Jena Façade Award 2025 have been announced. The main prize of 6,000 euros goes to the historic courtyard complex at Coppanzer Weg 12 in Jena's Ammerbach district (planning: Udo Junghans, Ölknitz; Helk Architekten und Ingenieure GmbH; Nils Havermann, Mellingen). The jury was particularly impressed by the successful restoration of the original half-timbered façade and the combination of traditional building materials and modern energy efficiency. In addition to the core renovation of the buildings, an arcade that was no longer worth preserving was also reconstructed true to the original.

"With the visionary renovation of the farm, the Schirrmeister and Känel family has preserved an important piece of village history and restored the original appearance. The combination of traditional building materials and modern, environmentally friendly technology - such as the hybrid heating system consisting of biogas, a clay base stove and solar thermal energy - is particularly impressive," emphasized Dirk Lange, Head of Urban Development and Environment. He presented the awards together with the sponsors of the prize today (15.12.2025) in the historic town hall.

Prize for energy-efficient refurbishment

The special energy efficiency prize of 500 euros in the residential building category went to the new building Im Metztal 1 (planning: Katrin Stein, Weimar). The project by owners Dr. Winfried and Betina Meißner was awarded the prize because it exemplifies how sophisticated design, maximum energy efficiency and sustainable energy generation can be combined in a coherent overall concept.

The jury paid particular tribute to:

• The consistent overall concept: right from the start, the builders pursued the goal of creating an energy-efficient, economical and ecological home without sacrificing comfort.
• Innovative energy solutions: A geothermal heat pump with three deep probes and a photovoltaic system with a combined storage tank form an intelligent energy network that maximizes self-consumption and minimizes dependence on the grid.
• Holistic planning: The close integration of architecture and energy consulting as well as details such as effective summer heat insulation resulted in a responsible building that increases quality of life and conserves resources.

The special energy efficiency prize of 500 euros in the commercial category went to the new commercial center at Löbstedter Straße 43 (wilke.architekten, Tobias Wilke, Ulm). The prize was awarded to GWZ Jena GmbH & Co. KG for a project that exemplifies how production and administration areas can be realized in an energy-efficient, economical and architecturally appealing way.

The jury emphasized:

• Aesthetics and integration: the combination of traditional clinker brick façade and modern mullion and transom construction with a high proportion of glass creates a new industrial appearance and blends harmoniously into the industrial estate.
• High energy efficiency: A consistently high-quality building envelope, supplemented by quality assurance measures such as blower door tests and thermography, ensures optimum protection against heat and cold.
• Intelligent energy concepts: Waste heat from production and IT is used to heat the administration building and for post-treatment of production parts. This is supplemented by the use of renewable energies for cooling and heating.
• Self-sufficiency: A photovoltaic system sized to meet demand covers the electricity requirements and makes an external heat supply superfluous.

Awards for exemplary façade design

Recognition went to:

• the refurbishment of the former residential building designed by architect Johannes Schlag in 1929 at Kernbergstrasse 55 to the owners Dr. Marc and Solveig Grahl (planning: Katja Stephan and Kerstin Mühlfriedel, Jena; prize money 1,500 euros),
• the new construction of a modern residential building on a hillside with a convincing overall impression at the property Im Metztal 1 (clients: Dr. Winfried and Betina Meißner; planning: Katrin Stein, Weimar; prize money 1,000 euros),
• the successful renovation of "Haus Dr. Schneider" at Drevesstraße 29, which has an unmistakable character thanks to its crystalline, broken forms (clients: Prof. Dr. Martin and Daniela Freesmeyer; planning: Spehr Ingenieure, Jena; prize money 500 euros).

Also recognized - without prize money - were

• the redesign of the façades of Fritz-Ritter-Straße 2-14. jenawohnen GmbH's project shows how a row of prefabricated buildings can be developed in a contemporary way with design sensitivity and respect for the existing structure,
• the new building of the Ernst Abbe Library with community center at Engelplatz 1-2 / Neugasse 32 by Kommunale Immobilien Jena for its multi-layered and lively façade design.

Exhibition of the applications

All applications submitted for the Jena Façade Award can be viewed free of charge in the Historic Town Hall. The exhibition is open until 15.01.2025.
Opening hours of the town hall hall:

• Tuesday: 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-18:00
• Thursday: 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:00

Prize awarded for the 33rd time

Thanks to the support of a total of 18 sponsors, the Jena Façade Prize has been awarded for the 33rd time since 1993. This year, companies, institutions and private individuals provided prize money amounting to around 10,000 euros, including

• Sparkasse Jena-Saale-Holzland
• Ingenieurbüro Bau- und Ausrüstungen GmbH (IBA GmbH), Jena
• Ernst-Abbe-Projekt-GmbH, Jena
• HI Bauprojekt GmbH, Jena
• District craftsmen's association Jena-Saale-Holzland
• Your painter - Thomas Jüttner GmbH, Jena
• Augenoptik Stegmann, Jena
• AICON Assekuranz & Immobilien Consult, Jena
• Dunkel, Veit & Heppner GmbH, Jena
• Gummich family, Jena (private)
• HEYX Engineering, project management - construction supervision, Jena
• GiSi ARCHiTECTS . Architectural office Gisbert Bachrodt, Jena
• Dirk Lange, Bürgel (private)
• Heiko Krabbes, Jena (private)
• Mrs. Wackernagel, Jena (private)
• Steffen Kind - Building analysis, Jena
• Motel & Bowling Jembopark, Jena
• elf5 Jena GmbH, Jena

About the Jena Façade Award

The city of Jena regularly awards the façade prize to recognize owners for attractive façade design in new construction or renovation projects in the city. Prizes are awarded for aesthetic and sustainable solutions, supported by local sponsors. An independent jury made up of representatives from the sponsors, the architectural community and the city selects the winning project. Since 2009, a special prize for energy efficiency has also been awarded.

Verleihung des Fassadenpreises 2025: Die ausgezeichneten Preisträgerinnen und Preisträger mit Stadtentwicklungsdezernent Dirk Lange (Mitte) und den Sponsoren.

© Stadt Jena