The Wakker Prize (German: Wakkerpreis, French: Prix Wakker, Italian: Premio Wakker) is awarded annually by the Swiss Heritage Society 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,[when?] 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, 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
editTo 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
edit- 1972: Stein am Rhein
- 1973: St. Prex
- 1974: Wiedlisbach
- 1975: Guarda
- 1976: Grüningen
- 1977: Gais
- 1978: Dardagny
- 1979: Ernen
- 1980: Solothurn
- 1981: Elm
- 1982: Avegno
- 1983: Muttenz
- 1984: Wil
- 1985: Laufenburg
- 1986: Diemtigen
- 1987: Bischofszell
- 1988: Porrentruy
- 1989: Winterthur
- 1990: Montreux
- 1991: Cham
- 1992: St. Gallen
- 1993: Monte Carasso
- 1994: La Chaux-de-Fonds
- 1995: Splügen
- 1996: Basel
- 1997: Bern
- 1998: Vrin
- 1999: Hauptwil-Gottshaus
- 2000: Geneva
- 2001: Uster
- 2002: Turgi
- 2003: Sursee
- 2004: Biel/Bienne
- 2005: Swiss Federal Railways, but especially the "Wave of Berne", the western extension of the Bern railway station
- 2006: Delémont
- 2007: Altdorf
- 2008: Grenchen
- 2009: Yverdon-les-Bains
- 2010: Fläsch
- 2011: Lausanne West (Bussigny-près-Lausanne, Chavannes-près-Renens, Crissier, Ecublens, Prilly, Renens, Saint-Sulpice, Villars-Sainte-Croix and Lausanne)
- 2012: Köniz
- 2013: Sion
- 2014: Aarau
- 2015: Bregaglia
- 2016: Rheinfelden
- 2017: Sempach
- 2018: Origen Festival Cultural, Riom
- 2019: Langenthal
- 2020: Baden
- 2021: Prangins
- 2022: Meyrin
- 2023: Lichtensteig (Toggenburg)
- 2024: Verein Birsstadt (Aesch, Arlesheim, Birsfelden, Dornach, Duggingen, Grellingen, Münchenstein, Muttenz, Pfeffingen and Reinach)