Press releases

The City of Aachen would like to draw attention to Midstad’s press release dated November 11, 2026:

The Future of the Wehmeyer Block: The City of Aachen and Midstad Invite the Public to a Presentation of the Competition Designs

How can the former Wehmeyer site be transformed into a vibrant and sustainable space in downtown Aachen? Four renowned architectural firms are currently addressing this question as part of a multi-firm commission through a collaborative process: On November 23, 2026, the competition office responsible for overseeing the process will publicly present the submitted designs. Citizens are invited to learn about the different approaches and to share their preferences and comments.

The feedback will be documented and incorporated into the expert jury’s decision-making process. The jury will select the winning design the following day. The result will serve as the basis for the site’s further planning and development. The public presentation will take place on Monday, November 23, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Forum M, Buchkremerstraße 1–7, 52062 Aachen.

The designs on display are by Bovenbouw Architectuur from Antwerp, CROSS Architecture from Aachen, Kresings from Münster and Düsseldorf, and UNS from Amsterdam. The four firms were invited to develop different urban planning and architectural perspectives for the future of the site. The presentation will be conducted by the competition office responsible for overseeing the process.

A New Urban Development for Aachen’s Downtown
The planning area, which spans approximately 3,000 square meters, is located between Adalbertstraße and Reihstraße. The former Wehmeyer site, which has stood vacant for many years, is to be developed into a vibrant, mixed-use downtown neighborhood. The goal is to eliminate the vacancy, sustainably revitalize Adalbertstraße and the eastern part of the city center, and create an attractive place with a high quality of life. A diverse mix of uses and flexible floor plans are intended to ensure that the property can adapt to new requirements and uses over the long term. The connection between the site and its surroundings is of particular importance. The project scope includes a new public pathway linking Adalbertstraße and Reihstraße, green open spaces, high architectural quality, and new places for people to linger and interact. The goal is to transform the previously enclosed and monofunctional site into an open urban block that connects with its surroundings and injects new vitality into the downtown area.

“The Wehmeyerblock offers the opportunity to reimagine a central location in Aachen’s downtown area. The collaborative process allows us to carefully compare different architectural and urban planning approaches. Our goal is a solution that is visually compelling and, at the same time, creates long-term value for the city and its residents,” says Dr. Kevin Meyer, managing director of Midstad.

Collaborative Process with Public Participation
: The current multi-phase commission builds on the results of a student competition conducted in 2025 in collaboration with RWTH Aachen University. The ideas developed there regarding mixed-use development, open spaces, pedestrian connectivity, and sustainable downtown development have been incorporated into the next planning phase.

Aachen Mayor Ziemons: “An enormously important building block.” “The
Wehmeyerblock is an enormously important building block for the future of downtown Aachen. It is very important to me personally that this eyesore be transformed back into a gem. That is why I am pleased that the designs from architectural firms in three countries are now being presented to the public. The public presentation gives citizens the opportunity right from the start to learn about the different ideas and share their perspectives before the jury makes its decision,” says Aachen’s Mayor Dr. Michael Ziemons.

Event at a Glance:
Public Presentation of the Competition Designs for the Wehmeyerblock
Date: Monday, November 23, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p
.m. Location: Forum M, Buchkremerstraße 1–7, 52062 Aachen
Admission: Free; interested citizens are asked to register in advance via the following link: Wehmeyerblock Information Event

You can find more information about the Midstad project in Aachen here.