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Room sociologist Martina Löw excellent for her contribution to urban development
On June 12, 2025, the Shader Prize was to Prof. Dr. Martina Löw awarded. The renowned space sociologist teaches planning and architectural sociology at the TU Berlin and was honored in Darmstadt for her pioneering scientific work and dialogue with practice. In her winning speech in front of around 250 guests, she addressed the importance of quality in sociology and urban planning.
Löw advocated that sociology had to deal more with the collection of qualities in order to be able to participate in planning processes. In doing so, she put a special focus on the subjective experience of rooms and the question of how they act socially and emotionally on different population groups. A place could have a variety of qualities - for a child other than for a senior citizen - and has to offer space for everyone.
In her speech, Löw also referred to the responsibility of sociology, construction and politics, community values and the feeling of attachment in urban spaces. According to Löw, her theoretically sound concept of space is a tool to make social challenges constructive about the built environment.
In the greetings, Mayor Hanno Benz, State Secretary Katrin Hechler and Schader-Foundation board member Alexander Gemeinhardt, emphasized in particular Löw's contribution to the understanding of urban structures and their "own logic". Her research knowledge is also of great value for local politics.
The prize was made by Prof. Dr. Christoph Möllers, spokesman for the Senate of the Schader Foundation, presented. In his eulogy, he emphasized Löw's contribution to the conceptual foundation of space sociology and its linking of theoretical insight with social practice.
Dr. In his speech, Niklas Maak, editor of the FAZ, praised Löw's ability to make the resistant potential of cities visible and to derive political options. With her theoretical brilliance and practical relevance, she is an ideal award winner.
The Schader Prize is endowed with 15,000 euros and is awarded annually by the Senate of the Shaders Foundation, which Martina Löw will also belong to for seven years in the future.
Further information: www.schader-stiftung.de/schader-preis
