The winners of the German Design Awards 2023 approach design in ways that are both clever and sustainable, with a focus on ground-breaking product solutions and visionary ideas. The cradle-to-cradle principle, modular construction methods, sustainable use of materials and energy efficiency have long been mainstays in manufacturing and the construction process. But real estate branding is also increasingly coming into focus and becoming an important instrument in architectural communication and marketing.

Of the 4,200 submissions that the German Design Awards 2023 received, 98 projects in total were honored with the highest ‘Gold’ distinction. The German Design Awards are one of the most well-recognized international design awards, distinguished by its diversity and the quality of the projects. The awards are given to companies whose products stand out in the categories of ‘Excellent Product Design’, ‘Excellent Communications Design’, and ‘Excellent Architecture’. In the three different design disciplines, this year’s winners include companies such as Duravit, Mono and WMF, as well as the architecture firm MVRDV and start-ups such as nevi and X Shore AB.

See a selection of the winning projects here:

Looking at the Big Picture: 'Gold' for the Rotterdam Rooftop Walk by MVRDV

Temporary pedestrian bridges, over 30 meters high and 600 meters long, were spanned over the rooftops of the city of Rotterdam during the Rotterdam Rooftop Festival. They not only offered visitors a spectacular view of the Dutch metropolis, they were also able to explore the city’s unused spaces – and discover the potential of the roofscape to create a more biodiverse, sustainable, and liveable city.

Preserve and Revive History: 'Gold' for the Pengjia Alley Site by Beijing AN-Design Architects Co., Ltd. at the Behest of Jingdezhen Taoyang Real Estate Co., Ltd.

With the redevelopment of the ceramic workshops at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns and the calculated construction of new buildings, the architects of Beijing AN-Design managed to transform the historic site into a vibrant place for living, shopping and culture for the surrounding communities.

One Façade Made of Ten Thousand Solar Modules: 'Gold' for the Zero Energy Media Façade of Novartis Pavilion by Amdl Circle and Michele De Lucchi

In order to bring the world of science and medicine closer to the visitors of the Novartis Campus, the Basel pharma concern hired the architects Amdl Circle and Michele De Lucchi to design an exhibition pavilion. The new pavilion captivates with a striking media façade constructed from 10,000 solar modules and 30,000 embedded LEDs. It functions not only as a display for lighting installations; it also generates the needed energy autonomously.

Ingeniously Simple and Reusable: 'Winner' Distinction for the Façade Solution by Mahlknecht Herrle Architektur

Sheet piling is commonly used in construction pits and harbors; as façade elements for the temporary renovation of the Munich theater schwere reiter, they lend the venue a real charisma and emphasize the temporary character of the building, the use of which has been planned for ten years. In addition, the elements can be installed during a short construction period as well as with a low energy cost, and the majority can be reused after dismantling.

A Little Footprint in Concrete: 'Special Mention' for Pedevilla Architects and Beton Eisack – AeroBeton®

The monolithic house Steinernes Mandlin South Tyrol is adapted perfectly to its surroundings and the climatic conditions at an altitude of 1,100 meters. Walls that are 75 cm thick and made from insulating concrete combine all the functions of the façade in one layer: protecting, insulating and supporting. A low-tech, low-energy house with a robust concrete shell and fine wood details has been created here.

Tobias Trübenbacher has focused on social and societal questions in design and the development of new product solutions for environmental problems throughout his work. In order to shape this transformation within an even larger, all-encompassing context, he began a master’s degree in architecture and urban studies at the Technical University of Munich after completing his studies in industrial design. This variety is also reflected within his portfolio: with PAPILIO, Trübenbacher has designed a climate-neutral prototype for street lighting that generates the energy it needs by using a wind rotor. In addition, the lights save energy by turning off as soon as there are no more people in the vicinity. This not only minimizes energy consumption, but also counters the increasingly serious problem of light pollution.

A Property With Identity: 'Winner' Distinction for acre – activ consult real estate gmbh and the ABG Real Estate Group