Exhibition "Denkmalpflege als Chance"
Until 13 September 2026 at the Ofen- und Keramikmuseum Velten

Rethinking Architecture – Heritage Conservation as a Catalyst for Sustainability and Building Culture

Can something new emerge from existing buildings – whilst becoming visibly more aesthetic, sustainable and fit for the future? The special exhibition ‘Denkmalpflege als Chance’ provides a convincing answer to this question.

The baudenkmal bundesschule bernau association is presenting the exhibition at the Ofen- und Keramikmuseum Velten until 13 September 2026. On display are multi-award-winning projects by the Berlin-based architectural practice BRENNE ARCHITEKTEN, which has been a pioneer in the renovation of existing buildings for decades. Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. To mark the closing event on Heritage Open Day on 13 September, the museum is offering an extensive programme of special events.

At the Ofen- und Keramikmuseum Velten, visitors gain fascinating insights into outstanding projects – including the heritage-sensitive refurbishment of the ADGB Trade Union School in Bernau (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017), the Bauhaus building in Dessau, and significant modernist housing estates in Berlin and Magdeburg. The exhibition demonstrates how heritage conservation can be understood not as a constraint, but as a catalyst for sustainable building – entirely in keeping with the guiding principle: ‘Preserve by continuing to build’. At the same time, it illustrates how BRENNE ARCHITEKTEN provide contemporary responses to heritage conservation challenges with extraordinary, often astonishingly simple and cost-effective solutions.

A catalogue has been published to accompany the exhibition. It is available for 10 EUR from the baudenkmal bundesschule bernau association and at the Bernau Visitor Centre, or by emailing vereinbauhaus-denkmal-bernau.de, plus 3.50 EUR for postage and packaging.

The exhibition is aimed at anyone interested in architecture, sustainability and building culture – from industry professionals to architecture enthusiasts.

The exhibition is a project by the ‘baudenkmal bundesschule bernau e. V.’ association and was conceived and curated for the association by Franz Jaschke, Fabian Brenne and Winfried Brenne of BRENNE ARCHITEKTEN.

The exhibition was funded by: co-financing from the State of Brandenburg and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development under the LEADER programme, and the Baudenkmal Bundesschule Bernau Foundation.

The exhibition received support during the funding application process from: LAG Barnim