A major success for two emerging talents from the TUM School of Engineering and Design: Katharina von Unold and Vincent Wenk received one of the five top prizes at the 2025 Albert Speer Foundation Award Ceremony in Frankfurt am Main on July 3. The jury honored their thesis “Zusammen Stadt Alleine” for its interdisciplinary approach, conceptual depth, and design excellence.
Around 70 master’s theses from across the German-speaking world were submitted to this year’s competition under the theme “Housing the Future – Young Ideas for City and Region.”
Von Unold and Wenk’s joint thesis was developed at the Chair of Landscape Architecture and Transformation (LAT) under the supervision of Prof. Udo Weilacher. The award-winning design is currently on display at TUM Campus Weihenstephan.
At the core of their thesis is an urban and landscape architectural proposal for the transformation of a 1950s linear housing estate in Hamburg-Harburg. The project demonstrates how targeted densification, shared open spaces, and sustainable mobility strategies can revitalize existing neighborhoods into livable and future-ready urban quarters.
The distinguished jury, chaired by Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Merk, City Planning Commissioner of Munich, particularly praised the project’s transferability to other postwar districts, its holistic approach, and the synergy between urban design and landscape architecture.
The award also highlights the strong connection between the Technical University of Munich and the foundation’s namesake: Prof. Albert Speer, a TUM alumnus and one of the most influential architects and urban planners of his generation, was named a TUM Distinguished Affiliated Professor in 2011. In this role, he was actively involved for many years as a mentor, advisor, and critic in the Master’s program in Urbanism. The award established by his foundation continues to support emerging talent in urban development, architecture, and planning.
Further Information:
- Chair of Landscape Architecture and Transformation (LAT)
- Albert Speer Foundation – Award 2025