New Stylepark building receives the German Brick Award 2021
"Unusual" and "present" are two terms used by the German Brick Award 2021 (Deutscher Ziegelpreis 2021) to describe Stylepark's residential and commercial building in Frankfurt am Main. Centrally located in the heart of the city at Peterskirchhof, the design by NKBAK Architekten uses handmade bricks to offer a sustainable inclusion of new and existing construction. The German Brick Award recognises architecture and engineering that consists of exemplary brick buildings, is sustainable and contributes positively to the design of public spaces. In 2021, the renowned prize was awarded for the first time in its ten-year history by the Federal Association of the German Brick and Tile Industry under the patronage of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, for Construction and Home Affairs (BMI) and other partners.
Nicole Kerstin Berganski and Andreas Krawczyk, the founders of NKBAK, managed to meet the jury's high requirements in several respects with their project: The historically protected cemetery wall of the culturally significant Peterskirchhof, which adjoins the Stylepark property at the rear, was integrated into the new building project with gentle transitions. Handmade bricks from the Danish manufacturer Petersen Tegl, which were adapted to the centuries-old building in terms of structure and colour, play a key role. With its cubist form, the complex structure also perfectly fills the clearly defined area of the backyard, thus showing a prime example of the use of free space within already existing buildings. "Old and new are seamlessly interwoven, so that you don't want to take anything away or add anything," says the brochure of the German Brick Award 2021. Both in the natural material of the bricks and in view of the flexible use as living and office space, NKBAK have thought the new Stylepark building sustainably.
Also awarded the German Brick Award 2021 First Prize was the new town hall with conference hall in Dorfen near Munich by Diezinger Architekten. Here, the architects have also managed to mediate between new and existing buildings in a way that is worth seeing – aesthetically restrained, efficient and with exciting lines. "It is remarkable how the objects of the German Brick Award sustainably increase the positive perception of the public space and thus also the overall quality of life in the respective regions," says Dr. Matthias Frederichs, General Manager of the Federal Association of the German Brick and Tile Industry e.V.
From March 2021, there will be an accompanying exhibition to mark the German Brick Award 2021, which will be presented at locations throughout Germany. In addition to the award-winning projects, the show will also feature a selection of the best submissions that demonstrate the versatility of contemporary brick architecture. (am)
