Berlin, 14 April 2008.  The Senate Department for Urban Development, the Deutsche Bahn and Vivico today announced the winners of the town planning competition for the new urban quarter in the Heidestraße in Berlin. The jury, under the chairmanship of Professor Carl Fingerhuth (Zurich), awarded first prize to the team of KCAP/ASTOC (Rotterdam/Cologne/Zurich) and Studio Urban Catalyst (Berlin).
Senate Building Superintendant, Regula Lüscher, Prof. Dr. Jens-Uwe Fischer (Head of Redevelopment Managment for the Deutsche Bahn AG) and Bernhard H. Hansen (Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vivico) expressed their satisfaction with the results of the competition. At the same time the Senate Building Superintendant emphasized the great importance of the process towards the development of the area: "The importance of this area - approximately 40 hectares in the Heidestraße -for Berlin's urban development cannot be stressed highly enough. It was and is very important for us to take as many expert opinions into consideration through the use of transparent and cooperative procedures. This has so far been achieved with flying colours and we now have a robust foundation for the subsequent master plan project."  Bernhard H. Hansen pointed out: "The results of the competition are characterized by a high level of understanding for the requirements of a lively, urban and above all sustainable town quarter. This means that the most important parameters have been fulfilled to enable the development of an ecological, social and economically sustainable concept." Prof. Dr. Jens-Uwe Fischer from the Deutsche Bahn added: "Especially important for us, as a mobility and logistics service provider, was evidence of a sensible, future-oriented mix of living and retail space, offices and industry, which could be realised in multiple stages and, therefore, develop into a new inner city urban quarter. All the participants, especially the team of KCAP/ASTOC and Studio Urban Catalyst, have done an amazing job."
The jury awarded second prize to the team of stegepartner Architektur and town planning (Dortmund) and lohrer.hochrein landschaftsarchitekten (Munich). The work of Hilmer & Sattler and Albrecht (Munich/Berlin) and Keller Landschaftsarchitekten (Munich) received third prize. Furthermore, the teams of AS&P (Frankfurt) with Büro Kiefer Landschaftsarchitektur (Berlin) as well as scheuvens + wachten (Dortmund) with brosk landschaftsarchitektur freiraumplanung (Essen) qualified for the competition organised by Vivico in cooperation with the State of Berlin and the Deutsche Bahn.
Prof. Carl Fingerhuth, Chairman of the jury, praised the high standard of the competition during his speech at the opening of an exhibition for the competition entries: "All work submitted for this challenging task was of a very high level. The open and cooperative procedure certainly contributed to achieving this quality. The competition did not only encompass an architectural project for the area, it also dealt with the search for a suitable town planning concept. The requisite provisions, necessary for the identity of the location and for safeguarding the quality of the public space, were to be determined during this process. The concept from KCAP/ASTOC distinguished itself in this respect through its excellent handling of the area. Not only has a large concept been defined, beneficial requirements for the varied and exciting design of the individual parts has also been created."
The winning design will now be used as the foundation for the subsequent master plan project. Further details relating to the future urban quarter will be developed during this project and then laid down in a legally binding land-use plan. The project partners assume the plan will be ready by the year 2011.
The results of the competition can be viewed from 15 to 29 April from 11a.m. to 7 p.m. daily in the Vivico Pavillion on the Washington Platz at Berlin's main train station. The exhibition will not be open on 22 April.
The project partners announced during a press conference that a name should now be developed for this new urban quarter, which is almost the size of a city district. Creative agencies in Berlin will develop and present their proposals as part of a separate competition.  A jury will decide on the name which is to be presented publicly by the middle of the year.