“Off to the centre!” Two projects from Chemnitz receive awards
“Düsseldorfer Platz Chemnitz – The new ‘cool’ city centre!” took second place, which came with a prize of 40,000 euros. The project aims to further develop the area around Düsseldorfer Platz as an attractive location in the city centre and to provide fresh impetus for enhancing the quality of the public space, encouraging social interaction and fostering a vibrant city centre.
“Lerninsel – Your Study Spot in the Cool Heart of Chemnitz City Centre” was awarded the special prize, worth 10,000 euros. The project focuses specifically on young people and their needs. The idea is to create a space right in the city centre where people can study, relax and socialise. This is intended to make the city centre a more attractive everyday destination for school pupils, students and young adults.
Both projects address key themes of this year’s competition: city centres should not merely be functional hubs, but vibrant places where people of all generations enjoy spending time, meeting one another and actively shaping and experiencing their city.
Record participation in Saxony
The 23rd ‘Ab in die Mitte! Die City-Offensive Sachsen’ competition has set a new record for participation, with 63 participating local authorities and a total of 77 projects submitted. Last year, there were 61 projects from 53 local authorities. Nine local authorities took part in the competition for the first time in 2026.
This year’s theme, ‘Cool Core Instead of Grey Stone’, focuses on how town centres can be designed to be sustainable in the face of rising temperatures and changing usage requirements. Many of the submitted concepts emphasise more greenery, shade, water, seating and new meeting places.
The Free State of Saxony is again providing more than 300,000 euros in prize money in 2026. This year’s patron is the Saxon State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour, Energy and Climate Protection.
Background
The ‘Ab in die Mitte! Die City-Offensive Sachsen’ competition was launched in 2004 and is regarded as an established tool for the creative and sustainable revitalisation of Saxony’s town centres. As a public-private partnership, the initiative is jointly supported by the Free State of Saxony, the Chambers of Industry and Commerce, and other partners from the business sector. The aim is to support local authorities in developing and implementing innovative ideas for attractive, vibrant and sustainable town centres.
Further information on the competition and the submitted projects can be found at: