Berner Baukulturpreis 2024
Brueckenkopf © Bauart / R. Walti
The Brückenkopf project, designed by the architectural office Bauart, of which Prof. Emmanuel Rey of the Laboratory of Architecture and Sustainable Technologies (LAST) is a partner, was recently awarded the Berner Baukulturpreis 2024. The award is intended to recognize interdisciplinary approaches and promote Baukultur, the culture of a high-quality built environment, in the Canton of Bern.
In the context of the fight against urban sprawl and the artificialization of land, the priority today is to regenerate already built-up areas. This leads to a growing interest in the renovation and transformation of existing buildings. The preservation of local urban identities, the promotion of Baukultur (the culture of a high-quality built environment), and the ecological benefits in terms of embodied energy are all arguments in favor of more intervention in existing buildings.
Among the various types of architectural approach to existing buildings, the reconversion of commercial or office buildings into housing is a topic that is frequently raised in theory. However, relatively few examples have been successfully implemented to date.
In this respect, the Brückenkopf project in the heart of the city of Berne is an exploratory experiment, demonstrating in concrete terms what can be done with the abundant and ageing stock of tertiary buildings commissioned during the post-war boom period.