Sustainable, modern and well designed: contemporary architecture in rural areas

Stiftung Landwirtschaftsverlag announces Landbaukultur Prize 2025/26

The Landwirtschaftsverlag Foundation is organising the Landbaukultur Prize for the sixth time. It honours exemplary buildings in rural areas and outdoor facilities on farms. Objects worthy of the award are special architectural solutions that enable contemporary utilisation, are optimally integrated into the surrounding cultural landscape and take environmental and climate protection into account in building materials and construction.

‘Agricultural buildings - old and new - are an important showcase for rural areas. In the course of structural change in agriculture, many buildings have lost their original purpose. However, there are owners and architects who use their creativity and inspiration to develop wonderful concepts for new uses and new agricultural buildings. We want to honour this commitment with the Landbaukultur Award,’ says Hubertus Beringmeier, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Agricultural Foundation, explaining the aim of the competition.

The Landbaukultur Prize is endowed with a total of €30,000 and is awarded in the categories of new buildings and conversions. Both newly constructed and remodelled buildings, parts of buildings and outdoor facilities on farms in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are eligible for the award.

The jury is made up of renowned architects and experts from agriculture and rural areas. It is chaired by Susanne Wartzeck, President of the Association of German Architects (BDA). ‘I am looking forward to taking on this task for the third time. The BDA supports the Landbaukultur Award because it is the only architecture competition that focusses on building in rural areas. This creates awareness and sensitises clients and architects alike,’ says Susanne Wartzeck, explaining the importance of the competition.

The jury is made up of renowned architects and experts from agriculture and rural areas. It will be chaired by Susanne Wartzeck, President of the Association of German Architects (BDA). ‘I am looking forward to taking on this task for the third time. The BDA supports the Landbaukultur Award because it is the only architecture competition that focusses on building in rural areas. This creates awareness and sensitises clients and architects alike,’ says Susanne Wartzeck, explaining the importance of the competition.

Interested parties can apply until 30 September 2025 (date of receipt). Application documents and further information can be found at www.landbaukultur-preis.de.

The Landbaukultur Prize is regularly organised by the Landwirtschaftsverlag Foundation. Media partners of the foundation, which belongs to Landwirtschaftsverlag Münster, include ‘top agrar’, ‘Wochenblatt für Landwirtschaft und Landleben’ and ‘Landlust’ in Germany, ‘top agrar Österreich’ in Austria and ‘die grüne’ and ‘BauernZeitung’ in Switzerland.