Architecture draws guests – that much is beyond question. Today's travellers expect offerings that satisfy not only functional requirements but also aesthetic ones. Compelling design and thoughtful architecture enhance the quality of experience and, at their best, become attractions in themselves. Building for guests extends far beyond hotels and restaurants, encompassing all aspects of leisure – from wellness and health facilities to cultural venues. Yet impressive architecture does more than inspire holiday decisions: it's also a vital asset for Bavaria's economic competitiveness.

In 2024, the Bavarian Chamber of Architects and the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism announced the fifth competition for the Bavarian Tourism Architecture Award artouro. This year's winner is the Diocesan Museum in Freising by Brückner & Brückner Architects with realgrün landscape architecture and iam interior.architects.munich. The project on the Domberg also received the artouro Accessibility Special Prize, which will be awarded by Social Affairs Minister Scharf at a later date during an on-site visit.

Since its launch in 2011, the artouro has been awarded five times as of 2024, making it Germany's only dedicated tourism architecture prize. It celebrates architectural boldness and visionary design while advancing the economic, environmental, and social value of high-quality tourism architecture.

Chamber President Prof. Lydia Haack, speaking at the awards ceremony held at the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism, remarked: "The context for tourism has transformed significantly. For a destination to attract visitors while delivering real value to residents, it must offer experiences beyond the everyday – all without compromising on climate responsibility, sustainability, and accessibility. Recognising this complexity is precisely what artouro aims to do."

The winning project emerged victorious from a highly competitive field of 53 submissions.

Honourable mentions go to the following projects:

Diringlo, Ohlstadt
Architecture: 1-line-architecture GmbH, Munich
Builders: Stephan Rauscher & Tobias Huber GbR, Munich

Kulturhof Stanggass, Bischofswiesen
Architecture: Arc Architekten Partnerschaft mbB, Bad Birnbach
Interior design: Arc Architekten with Stephanie Ach, Johanniskirchen
Landscape architecture: lab Brenner, Landshut
Client: Dr. Wimmer Verwaltungs GmbH & Co. KG, Berchtesgaden

Restructuring of the market at Elisabethplatz, Munich
Architecture: bogevischs buero architecture & urban planning gmbh, Munich
Client: Markthallen München MH

Karlstadt Tourist
Information Centre and Museum Architecture: Wiener + Wolff freie Architekten PartmbB architectural firm, Karlstadt
Client: City of Karlstadt, represented by Mayor Michael Hombach

Brick tower, Berching
Architecture: KÜHNLEIN Architektur, Berching
Client: Ernst Burger, Krailing

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