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

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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

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References

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