Success for Architecture Students at JOANES-Preis 2025
Architecture graduates Henrike Gosda and Felix Iburg were awarded third place in the national JOANES-Preis 2025. Their Master’s thesis »Ein genossenschaftliches Haus an der Fliegersiedlung«, written in the 2024/2025 winter semester, impressed the judges with its boldness, creativity, and consistent honing of cooperative housing designs. The prize is endowed with 1,500 euros and will be presented on 4 November 2025 at the Aedes Architekturforum Berlin.
In their assessment, the jury praised the design, dubbed »Wolpertinger«, stating that it was »remarkably effortless« and highlighted the »strong interweaving of access and living spaces«. The work demonstrated »the creativity and courage Henrike Gosdas and Felix Iburgs bring into their design decisions«. The jury also recognized their resilience in the face of critical feedback and their clever suggestions for adaptation during the revision phase.
At the same time, the jury recognised the dual nature of the contribution: While such open housing is »appropriate for community-oriented cooperative members«, it might, in certain locations, come off as »too experimental«. The »fundamental need for a parking level« was also brought up. The jury deemed the urban integration of the project as especially impressive: »The supermarket is very well located. Compared to all four of the entries, the integration of the supermarket in this project works best.«
Despite these criticisms, the jury was »absolutely delighted« with the design. The work »polarised in a pleasantly surprising way« and demonstrated how far cooperative housing concepts can be pushed architecturally.
The project was supervised by Verena von Beckerath (Professorship of Housing Design), Jr. Prof. Christina Köchling (Professorship of Building Design Theory), Prof. Jörg Leeser (Peter Behrens School of Art), and Avital Greenshpon.
The JOANES-Preis is awarded annually to outstanding student projects in cooperative housing designs. The aim is to support innovative and feasible concepts that combine cooperative housing with new commercial and supply structures.