The Wakker Prize (German: ''Wakkerpreis'', French: ''Prix Wakker'', Italian: ''Premio Wakker'') is awarded annually by the
Swiss Heritage Society
The Swiss Heritage Society (SHS) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the advancement of Switzerland's architectural heritage. Its focus is on the preservation of important landmarks, the development of the structural environment, and the pro ...
to a
Municipality of Switzerland for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage.
At the beginning, the prize honoured municipalities which did special needs for preservation of the old towns. Recently, the prize also honours municipalities that develop their townscapes on a specific leading point. This might be an estimated use of an old industrial facility or a successful combination between old and new basic structure of a building.
In 2005, the prize was given to the
Swiss Federal Railways
Swiss Federal Railways (german: link=no, Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, ''SBB''; french: link=no, Chemins de fer fédéraux suisses, ''CFF''; it, Ferrovie federali svizzere, ''FFS'') is the national railway company of Switzerland. It is usuall ...
, rather than a municipality, because of the jubilee of the Swiss Heritage Society.
The prize is named for
Henri-Louis Wakker, a banker and benefactor of the Swiss Heritage Society.
Criteria
To get this prize, municipalities have to follow the named criteria:
* A visible, qualitative development and upgrading of townscape in a contemporary manner.
* To be respectful towards with old settlement pattern.
* An active input for above-average architectural quality, due to a good example of the municipality.
* The current place-planning prefers the development of the prize.
* At the end are following issues important for the overall assessment, protection of the area, sustainability, traffic planning and residential quality.
Prize winners
References
External links
Patrimoine suisse: Prix Wakker
{{Authority control
Architecture awards
History awards
Swiss awards