RALF SCHMITZ apartment building EISENZAHN I in Berlin has been
named Building of Year 2017 by Stadtbild Deutschland e.V.
For too long, German cities have been dominated by architecture determined almost solely by its function; only occasionally has it achieved the effect of painterly old cities and elegant prewar facades. “But a façade is not private; it belongs to the public sphere and thus has an obligation to the public. A building must be given a face,” says Ralf Schmitz, who upholds his company’s five-generation legacy of exclusive real estate developments in top locations. “People should not only know but also be able to see if they are in Berlin, Hannover or Stuttgart, and so new builds must respect regional differences. That is something builders should be able to agree upon.”
Such engagement with the perpetuation and reinvention of traditional architecture language deserves recognition, and thus numerous guests gathered on May 13, 2018 in the lobby of EISENZAHN I, designed in cooperation with Bottega Veneta. The association Stadtbild Deutschland e.V., which works nationally to promote cultural heritage and harmonious and high-quality architecture, awarded RALF SCHMITZ and leading architect on the EISENZAHN I project, Sebastian Treese, the prize for “Building of the Year 2017” for the extraordinary building.
Visibly delighted, Schmitz not only expressed his gratitude for the recognition to the association’s national director, Mr. Tilo Bergmann, but also praised the residents of EISENZAHN I “for their impeccable taste in choosing this property.” In the relaxed setting, Ralf Schmitz also applied for membership in the Stadtbild association and promised to continue to building with thoughtful aesthetics and the highest quality – developments surely to be as prize worthy as EISENZAHN I.