The Westphalian Prize for Building Culture (Westfälischer Preis für Baukultur) was awarded for the third time on Monday, November 10, 2025, following previous ceremonies in 2010 and 2015. The prestigious award, organized by the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe), recognized exceptional architectural projects from the past decade across all regions of Westphalia-Lippe.

From a total of 200 submissions, a nine-member jury selected five equally ranked awards and ten equally ranked recognitions. According to the press release, the five winning projects—comprising a cooperative housing development, riverbank design, a school, a museum building, and a corporate headquarters—reflect the diversity and significance of building culture for social cohesion in their variety.

The five main prizes were awarded to remarkable projects spanning from 2020 to 2025. The Grüner Weiler I in Münster (2025), developed by Grüner Weiler as client and designed by office03 (Cologne), SOWATORINI Landschaft (Bochum), Birgit Brewe Architekten (Münster, Zurich), and Seraina Merz Architektur (Zurich), represents innovative cooperative housing. The Landesgartenschau Höxter 2023, created by Franz Reschke Landschaftsarchitektur (Berlin), showcased exceptional landscape architecture for the state garden show.

Educational and cultural architecture were prominently featured among the winners. The St. Michael Elementary School in Paderborn (2022), commissioned by the Archdiocese of Paderborn and designed by Hausmann Architektur (Aachen) in collaboration with brandfels landscape + environment (Münster), demonstrated excellence in educational facility design. The entrance building for the LWL Open-Air Museum Hagen (2022), commissioned by the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe and designed by Schnoklake Betz Dömer Architekten (Münster), exemplified thoughtful museum architecture. The Jacoby Studios in Paderborn (2020), developed for Jacoby and designed by David Chipperfield Architects (Berlin) with Wirtz International Landscape Architects (Schoten), represented outstanding corporate architecture.

The ten recognition awards acknowledged a diverse range of projects from 2016 to 2025, highlighting the breadth of architectural excellence in the region. Notable projects included the KliQ building group for collaborative living in Münster (2025) by MS Plus Architekten, the Holzwickede Town and Citizens' Hall (2023) by bezkock architekten (Stuttgart), and a forest kindergarten in Wadersloh-Liesborn (2023) by thomas becker_architekten (Ennigerloh). Cultural projects recognized included the Fritz Bauer Forum in Bochum (2023) by planplus, the kult Cultural History Center Westmünsterland in Vreden (2018) by Pool Leber Architekten (Munich) and bleckmann krys architekten (Münster), and the Peter August Böckstiegel Museum in Werther (2018) by habermann.decker.architekten (Lemgo) and Die Planergruppe (Essen).

Urban development and infrastructure projects also received recognition, including the KoFabrik in Bochum (2021) by Böll Architekten (Essen), the Middle Pader Spring Area in Paderborn (2019) by WES LandschaftsArchitektur (Hamburg), the "Siegen to New Shores" project (2016) by Atelier Loidl (Berlin) and BPR Dr. Schäpertöns Consult (Munich), and the Anneliese Brost Music Forum Ruhr in Bochum (2016) by bezkock architekten (Stuttgart).

The prize, while undotted (carrying no monetary value), honors both architects and clients equally, emphasizing the collaborative nature of successful building culture. Short films documenting the five main prize winners have been produced, and all awarded projects will be featured in an exhibition scheduled for spring 2026 in Münster, accompanied by a comprehensive publication showcasing the decade's architectural achievements in Westphalia-Lippe.