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Association of German Architects (BDA)

Since its founding in 1903, the Association of German Architects (BDA) has been committed to elevating and improving the function and meaning of architecture in service of society and the environment.

BDA Activities
The BDA promotes a planning and building culture that aims to enrich residential space and improve quality of life through functionally and aesthetically designed buildings, squares and cities. The BDA mediates between clients and architects in order to support an autonomous planning culture free of outside influence and advocates for broader use of open architectural competitions. The association is also committed to assuring high-quality education for the next generation of architects and urban planners.

The BDA communicates its objectives on the national level via annual public events like the Berliner Gespräch (Berlin Discussion) and BDA-Tag (BDA Day) along with numerous topical events, public forums and publications.

Regional Presence
One of the BDA’s particular strengths is its nationwide presence: Regional Associations in all 16 German states are supplemented by various regional subgroups. Through critical debate of planning and construction issues, the awarding of numerous prizes and various additional activities – lectures, exhibitions, workshops, publications – these BDA associations work hard to promote a continuous discussion of local Baukultur.

BDA Magazine: der architekt
In the bimonthly magazine der architekt, experts from around the world discuss architecture, architectural theory and urban planning with a particular focus on interdisciplinary approaches. Technical research reports on planning processes and implementation add an applied dimension to the magazine. derarchitektbda.de

DAZ – German Centre for Architecture
DAZ is a think-tank, a place for exchange, transmission and debate. In workshops, exhibitions, talks, film nights and book presentations, architects, city planners, artists, citizens, users and critics come together to discuss current issues in architecture, spatial production and urban life.

„Who makes the city?“ asks Creative Director Matthias Böttger in 2016. How can social objectives and formal synthesis, robust responsibility and fragile creativity be combined? How can speculative practice change architecture? Architecture´s task is not only to provide solutions, but to name and describe new challenges. Architecture provides no definitive answers, but remains open for questions – you are cordially invited to share and discuss!

DAZ is an initiative of the Association of German Architects, BDA. As an independent forum, the DAZ is responsible for the content and financing of its own program.

Website (english): www.daz.deDAZ Newsletter (english):Registration via www.daz.de
More information and pictures on www.facebook.com/DeutschesArchitekturZentrum or twitter.com/DAZ_Berlin

Membership

Since 1903, the BDA has brought together independent architects and urban planners distinguished by the exceptional quality of their work, their personal integrity and collegiality and their shared commitment to Baukultur and professional performance. All members are appointed by the Regional Associations.
The more than 5,000 members of the BDA are among the leading independent architects in Germany. Their track record of success speaks for itself: every third Euro invested in German construction is invested in a project involving a BDA architect.
The BDA appoints only members whose character and work meet strict criteria; appointment in the BDA is both an honour and a recognition of high-quality work.

Full membership requires the following:

  • fulltime engagement as an independent architect
  • above average skill and achievement
  • personal integrity
  • architectural licence

Civil architects, salaried architects and other types of professionals – German or foreign – can be appointed Associate Members.

Associate membership requires the following:

  • personal integrity
  • above average professional skill
  • personal achievement that promotes the goals of the BDA

Data base of full and associate BDA members

Both Full Members and Associate Members may be appointed Honorary Members in recognition of their extraordinary service to the BDA, as may individuals who are not members of the BDA.

All decisions regarding BDA membership are made by the Regional Associations.

The regional associations are part of the national BDA (Bundesverband), which, in turn, is part of the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) and the International Union of Architects (UIA).

Honorary Members

A
Gunnel  Adlercreutz
Svend Algren
Ulrich Schmidt von Altenstadt
Tadao Ando

B
Stephane Beel
Jan Benthem
Jacques Blumer
Oriol Bohigas Guardiola
Mario Botta
Michael Bräuer

C
Santiago Calatrava Valls
David Chipperfield
Kees W. Christiaanse
Krzysztof Chwalibóg
Jo Coenen
Mels Crouwel

D
Pi de Bruijn
Pierre de Meuron
Christian de Portzamparc
Roger Diener
Werner Durth

E
Peter Eisenman

F
Norman Robert  Foster
Dieter Fremerey

G
Aurelio Galfetti
Karl Ganser
Frank O. Gehry
Ivano Gianola
Volker Giencke
Giorgio  Grassi
Nicholas Grimshaw

H
Trix Haussmann-Högl
Herman Hertzberger
Jacques Herzog
Wilhelm Holzbauer
Sir Michael Hopkins

I
Arata Isozaki
Toyo Ito

J
Olaf Jacobsen

K
Klaus Kada
Remment L. Koolhaas
Janina Kopietz-Unger
Kaspar Kraemer
Steffen  Kragh
Rob Krier
Anton Kriesis
Lucien Kroll

L

Anne Lacaton
Jacek Lenart

M
Fumihiko Maki
Richard Meier
Rafael Moneo

N
Adolfo Natalini
Jean Nouvel

O
Eoin O’Cofaigh

P
Dominique Perrault
Renzo Piano
Boris Podrecca
Wolf D. Prix

R
Bruno Reichlin

S
Tina Saaby Madsen
Denise Scott-Brown
Alvaro Siza
Vladimir Slapeta
Helmut Swiczinsky

T
Shin Takamatsu
Niels A. Torp
Erhard Tränkner
Bernard Tschumi

U
Kim Utzon

V
Ben van Berkel
Erick van Egeraat
Jean-Philippe Vassal
Robert Venturi
Ulrich S. von Altenstadt

W
Carel Weeber
Otto Weitling
Michael  Wilford

Z
Peter Zumthor

Deceased Honorary Members

Friedrich Achleitner†
Hans Albert Ahrens†
William Alsop †
Gae Aulenti †
Günter Behnisch †
Gottfried Böhm †
Ricardo Bofill †
Jerzy Buszkiewicz †
Günther Domenig †
Sverre Fehn †
Knud Friis †
Franz Füeg †
Reinhard Gieselmann †
Ernst Gisel †
John Alex Gordon †
Vittorio  Gregotti †
Zaha M. Hadid †
Hardt-Waltherr Hämer †
Robert  Haussmann †
Christian Hauvette †
John Hejduk †
Hans Hollein †
Theo Hotz †
Helmut Jahn †
Francoise Hélène Jourda †
David Mackay †
Imre Makovecz †
Max Meid †
Hervé Nourissat †
I. M. Pei †
Gustav Peichl †
Timo Penttilä †
Pedro Ramirez Vâzquez †
Richard Rogers†
Nikolaus Rosiny †
Dolf Schnebli †
Günter Schudnagies †
Werner Schumann †
Luigi Snozzi †
Stanley Tigerman †
Jørn Utzon †
Claude Vasconi †
Hans Busso von Busse †
Peter C. von Seidlein †
Eberhard H. Zeidler †
Eberhard Zell †

 

Organisational Structure

The national BDA structure mirrors that of the Federal Republic of Germany: each of the 16 federal states has a registered Regional Association, each of which, in turn, belongs to the national BDA (Bundesverband) based in Berlin. All told, the BDA has about 4,500 Full Members and 500 Associate Members.

BDA Architecture Prizes

The BDA defines quality standards in architecture through several awards: On the national level, the “Große BDA Preis“ (BDA Grand Award) honors a lifetime achievement of an architect. The “Große Nike“ (Grand Nike) honors the collaboration of architects with their clients for an outstanding design or construction. The “BDA-Preis für Architekturkritik” (Architectural Critic Award) honors a journalist for his outstanding critics on architectural and urban planning issues. In collaboration with the Polish Architectural Association SARP, the BDA supports the young generation of architects by awarding a career grant. The 16 BDA regional associations honor architecture of excellence at the regional level and support particularly talented students and graduates of architecture with scholarships. Additional information in German is available here.

Contact

Association of German Architects (BDA)
Federal Secretariat
Wilhelmine-Gemberg-Weg 6
10179 Berlin
Tel.: +49(30) 27 87 99 0
Fax: +49(30) 27 87 99 15
kontakt@bda-bund.de

U Heinrich-Heine-Straße
S Jannowitzbrücke

General Secretary
Dr. Thomas Welter
welter@bda-bund.de

Assistant of the General Secretary
Anja Junge
junge@bda-bund.de

General Assistant
Daniel Quast
quast@bda-bund.de

Building Culture and Vocational Interests
Dr. Olaf Bahner
bahner@bda-bund.de

Dr. Nico Grunze
grunze@bda-bund.de

Program and Events
Kristina Eschler
eschler@bda-bund.de

Laura Holzberg
holzberg@bda-bund.de

Alesa Mustar
mustar@bda-bund.de

Press
Benedikt Hotze
hotze@bda-bund.de

Accounting, Data Administration
Cornelia Huth
huth@bda-bund.de

Office of BDA-Foundation 
Anja Junge
junge@bda-bund.de

Technical Service + Renting
Efgan Fahrali
fahrali@bda-bund.de
vermietung@bda-bund.de