Building culture / Baukultur

Düsseldorf Mediaport (Source: Axel Hausberg)

Baukultur describes how the built environment is created and how society deals with it. It includes planning, building and maintenance. Baukultur is not limited to architecture alone. It also includes civil engineering services, urban and regional planning, landscape architecture, heritage conservation and art for public buildings.
Baukultur can only be created if everybody involved in planning and building acts in concert and society as a whole assumes responsibility for the built environment and its maintenance. Baukultur is an integral component of a sustainable urban development policy.

The Federal Government also assumes responsibility for Baukultur in Germany. In the international context, the quality of planning and building is becoming increasingly important. The Federal Government is an important public sector client and player in the network of the players of Baukultur. The Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development is participating in the efforts to positively influence the quality of the physical and spatial environment and the outer appearance of Germany.

The Federal Government has taken a series of measures to strengthen Baukultur in Germany: It

• is working to strengthen Baukultur in Germany within the scope of its responsibilities,
• is carrying out research projects and hosting events,
• has founded the Federal Foundation for Baukultur,
• is assuming Federal Government construction responsibilities, including art in architecture,
• is improving the conditions for planners and designers,
• is promoting Baukultur in a national and international context.

The Architecture and Baukultur Initiative

Between 2000 and 2013, the Architecture and Baukultur Initiative has stimulated public discussions on the quality of planning and building in Germany. It has brought together representatives of the chambers, organizations, trade associations, foundations and cultural institutions that are the major partners of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs’ Baukultur policy.