Award set up by the Foundation
The “Lebendige Stadt” Foundation presents a Foundation Award each year in recognition of innovative civic projects such as particularly outstanding cultural and civic marketing events, successful city displays comprising elements such as light, sound and water (as temporary or permanent installations), and projects in the field of building conservation and tourism, especially if these are of cultural or artistic value.
Fondation Award 2008
Europe's Most Attractive Weekly Market
Europe's Most Attractive Weekly Market
- „Lebendige Stadt” names the "Grünmarkt" in Nienburg Europe's most attractive weekly market
- Special mentions for Bremen, Münster, Freiburg, Frankenberg and Wuppertal
The competition was open to innovative and vibrant weekly market concepts characterized by high quality and a wide and attractively presented range of goods and produce. "It goes without saying that ecological and financial aspects were also especially important – as the award-winning weekly market concepts should not only be mold-breaking but also serve as best practice models for other towns and cities", said Dr. Andreas Mattner, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the „Lebendige Stadt” Foundation.
The winner, the Grünmarkt market in Nienburg, is part and parcel of weekly life in the town on the Weser river in Lower Saxony. Forging a link with a history going back almost 200 years, the town has continued to develop the traditional weekly market since 1998 into what is today the "Grünmarkt". At the heart of the historic old city quarter, around 60 local and regional traders offer self-grown and produced goods - fruit and vegetables, meat, sausage, cheese and other tasty foods, along with the "Nienburg asparagus", one of the regional specialties. The number of visitors has more than doubled since the "Grünmarkt" concept was launched: from around 100,000 to approximately 250,000 a year – most visitors to the market come on foot, by bike or on public transport. The stand traders are responsible for disposing of their own waste and leftover produce. This saves the cost of time-intensive road cleaning after the market has closed. The jury praised the success of Nienburg in developing the economic, ecological and cultural aspects of the weekly market into an open, dynamic and popular concept and said that all the various actors - the local administration, the traders and the local people - all played a part in this process.
There was also a special mention for the weekly market on the Domplatz square in Münster in the region of Westphalia. The jury said that this concept is characterized by a “high level of integration between the city, the retail trade, the university and the weekly market” - and that it is therefore also of interest as a best practice model for other municipalities.
A further special mention went to the weekly market on the Münsterplatz square in Freiburg im Breisgau, where the jury was particularly impressed by the way in which the attractive stands were designed and laid out to blend in with their urban surroundings and the city’s historic ambience. The "weekly market" experience around Freiburg Cathedral is of a high quality for both the local people and visiting tourists, said the expert jury.
The Ölbergmarkt market in Wuppertal received a special award for outstanding commitment on the part of the local inhabitants. This market was called into being by the people themselves as part of the sustainable development of their district. The jury said that this level of commitment extends far beyond the mere existence of a weekly market.
The 2008 Jury
Hermann Henkel Jury chairman, Managing Director of HPP Architects
Hella Dunger-Löper Jury vice chairman, State Secretary for Construction and Housing, Berlin , Senate Administration for Urban Development
Torsten Berens Managing Director of the Hamburg Central Market for Fruit, Vegetables and Flowers
Dr. Rolf Böhme Former Lord Mayor of Freiburg
Dr. Albrecht Buttolo Ministry of the Interior, Saxony
Raimund Ellrott Managing Director, GfK GeoMarketing GmbH
Jens Friedemann Editor Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Felix Henkel Managing Director, Gemeinsam Handeln e.V.
Rolf von der Horst Publisher of the special-interest magazine "STADT und RAUM"
Friedel Kellermann Partner in the architects' firm RKW
Stephan Kugel Managing Director Centre-Management, ECE
Dirk Marx President of the Hamburg Association of Stallholders and Fairground Operators (LAGS)
Dr. Hans-Georg Moldenhauer Vice-President Qualification, German Football Association (DFB)
Klaus Müller Chairman of the North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Protection Agency
Otto Neideck First Lord Mayor of Freiburg im Breisgau
Rolf Pangels Executive Director of the German Federation of Medium and Large-Sized Companies of the Retail Trade (BAG)
Manfred Ruge Managing Director of Stadtwerke Erfurt GmbH
Dr. Herbert Schmalstieg Former Lord Mayor of Hanover
Hartwig Schultheiß Civic Director of Münster
Dr. Michael Vesper Executive Director German Olympic Sports Federation