All Things Urban

Once "Europe's largest dumpling factory", the former Pfanni grounds in central Munich now stand as one of Germany's most valuable greyfield sites undergoing transformation. Instead of focusing on short-term speculation, the owners, in collaboration with Steidle Architekten, prioritized the gradual preservation and redensification of the existing built and cultural assets. Today, the Werksviertel is a vibrant hub where small studios thrive alongside large offices, subculture mingles with high culture, and where low-tech intersects with high-tech, all while preserving the fabric of existing communities. This unique redevelopment effort has garnered numerous accolades, including the prestigious German Urban Development Award. The exhibition 'And Yet it Works,' curated by the Deutsche Akademie für Städtebau und Landesplanung, Steidle Architekten, and Jühling&Köppel Landschaftsarchitekten, sheds light on both the past and future of the district. It showcases plans, photographs, and models, along with intriguing relics such as a 1955 potato sorter, neon signs, and disco balls from the area's iconic 1990s clubs.

For more than 40 years, the German Urban Development Award has served to promote forward-looking planning and urban development culture. It is awarded every two years by the German Academy for Urban and Regional Planning and supported by the Wüstenrot Foundation. IThe 2023 Urban Design Award exhibition shows the 15 winning projects, including Weingarten (Freiburg im Breisgau), Holstenfleet (Kiel), Pergolenviertel (Hamburg), Olga Areal (Stuttgart) and neue balan (Munich) as well as the Middle Paderquell Area in Paderborn, which was awarded the special prize for "Designing climate adaptation".