15 outstanding projects among the German Design Award winners

Among the many winners of this year's German Design Awards, there were around 160 winners in the Excellent Communications Design category for Architecture. We have selected 15 projects from this list worth checking out: 

Solar Egg (pictured above)

With its striking polygonal form, has an otherworldly look about it – an effect that is accentuated by its gold mirrored surfaces. No less iconic is the boiler with its irregular metal mesh. An exceptional sauna design, one that attracts considerable attention.

Guizhou Firestation

The fact that this fire station is a white building in a red building complex creates a strong contrast and renders the station readily recognisable. An interesting design – one that, thanks to its characteristic silhouette, echoes the typical contours of the local mountains.

Train Control Centre

The new train control centre is positioned right between the tracks of the Dutch train lines near the largest station in the Netherlands. The control centre itself is lifted from the ground to give a distant view of passing trains.

Common Ground High School 

The Art and Science Building at Common Ground High School completes a campus devoted to the study of agriculture and ecology. Interior daylighting, on-site energy generation and storm water management, combine with a high-performance structure and building shell formed almost entirely from biogenic material systems. 

The Void 

The clear and minimalist design aesthetic of this community center conveys a highly modern impression, and its snow-white façade sets up an exciting contrast with the surrounding landscape. Aside from a cafeteria, reading room, exercise room, and offices, the building has an inner courtyard as well as a pond.

Al Jazeera Network Studio

VXV's new landmark, built on Al Jazeera's existing headquarters, provides a platform for interactive news programs for English and Arabic channels directly connected to London's Shard Tower Studio. 

HYT – mobile Übernachtungseinheit am Wild-Berghof Buchet

Hyt was born from the idea to create a mobile hotelroom situated on a green meadow, by the pond, or by the game reserve of the Wild-Berghof Buchet near Deggendorf. 

Jenga Windows

This sculptural structure, which was inspired by the Jenga game, is notable for a design aesthetic featuring dynamic lines. The structure’s similarly shaped elements appear to be nested within each other – an effect that results in an intriguing and highly graphic lateral view. 

The Book Stop Project

The Book Stop Project is a network of mobile spaces spread across the city with each space garnering far more foot traffic than the typical library. In a modern society where no library or bookstore can beat the collection of books that are available online, The Book Stop refrains from trying to reinvent the purpose of libraries.

Schmuckkästchen im Hinterhof

In a serene way, the cube closes the space between the existing residential house and the adjacent cemetery. The building’s membrane, made out of oxidized copper and glass elements, creates an expressive tension regarding the existing house.

**Radhaus 

This structure is a secure and weather-protected bicycle parking facility located right near a train station. The intriguing design constitutes a positive contribution to the cityscape, and in so doing sends an important signal concerning the growing importance of urban bicycling.

House Skuru 

The interior of this building, which is larger than it appears at first glance, is composed of a single main room whose minimalism is systematically referenced by its external design. 

Feuerwehr Sand in Taufers 

The new landmark of the municipality of Sand in Taufers is located at 870 m above sea level. The compact functional building hides a high-quality appearance, in which there was no superfluous design.

Laboratory for Shihlien Chemical Bio-tech Salt Plant

This laboratory for a world-class medical salt plant in Jiangsu, China, is conceived as a pristine array of NaCl crystals. White-washed boxes with full-height glazing define various laboratories within.

Neubau Doppelkindergarten Zelgli

The new kindergarten for two groups is situated on the outskirts of the village, where its distinct geometry sets it apart. Nevertheless, it refers to the neighbouring buildings with its three serial gabled roofs. As the whole kindergarten is based on an equal sided triangle, it offers versatile uses of space.