Link to the National Chamber of Architects and/or Professional Associations:https://bak.de/

Link to the Competition and Procurement Platforms:
https://www.dabonline.de/wettbewerb/
https://www.architekturblatt.de/category/wettbewerbe/
https://www.oeffentlichevergabe.de/ui/en/home

Link to the main ADCs Regulations: RPW Richtlinie für Planungswettbewerbe (Guidelines for Planning Competitions)

Short description of the legal framework based on Study 0:
The VgV (Vergabeverordnung) serves as Germany’s Public Procurement regulation, incorporating the provisions of the EU Directive 2014/24/EU. It specifically applies to the organization of design contests exceeding the EU threshold value. The RPW (Richtlinie für Planungswettbewerbe – Guidelines for Planning Contests) stands as the pivotal instrument for the organization of Architectural Design Competitions (ADCs) in Germany, mandated by law. In fact, § Section 78 II VgV stipulates the compulsory application of the RPW. Moreover, ADCs are permissible within the lower EU-threshold range as per § 52 UVgO, provided adherence to the RPW guidelines. Therefore, for contests organized by private entities, the RPW can function as voluntary guidelines, as recommended by the Chambers of Architects to ensure optimal procedural and legal standards.

Definition of Architectural Competition:
Design contests are held in the fields of architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, urban planning, civil engineering and technical planning. The contest organisator announces the planning competition to solve a task. The participants submit their contest entries. A jury decides on the contest entries. The aim of the design contest is to select the best solution for the planning task. Design contests are a suitable instrument for ensuring planning quality and promoting building culture (Baukultur). Design contests are regulated in the RPW 2013 and in the VgV. There are different types of design contests: realisation contest, ideas contest, open contest, restricted contest, two-phase procedure. Design contests can be conducted on their own or they can be held in advance of an award procedure.

Professional Qualification Criteria:
You need to have successfully completed a (usually Master´s) degree in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture or urban planning with a minimum standard period of study of 4 years. In addition, a two-year period of professional experience is required in order to become a member of the chamber of architects. Only members may use the professional title “Architekt” and are authorized to submit building plans for building permits. Other architectural activities may be carried out by other professionals, too.

• Academic degree | Usually a Master’s degree required (8 semesters study time)
• Practical experience | 2 years under supervision of a registered architect
• Membership in an architects chamber
• A professional liability insurance is required to become member of a chamber

According to §4 (1) RPW you need to be allowed to work as an architect and to be entitled to use the professional titel “architect”. In practise that means, you need to be a member of the chamber of architects to be allowed to participate in an ADC. In a non-open ADC the awarding authority may define further non-discriminatory, appropriate and qualitative criteria (suitability criteria) used to select participants.

The proof of qualification will be checked before an open ADC or in the qualification phase of a non-open ADC.

For the negotiation process following an ADC additional suitability criteria have to be fulfilled. They are announced before the ADC: Authorisation to practise the profession; economic & financial as well as technical & professional capacity and reliability.

Other useful links:
Grenzüberschreitendes Kompetenznetzwerk Architekturwettbewerbe
NAX – Network for Architecture Exchange