The aac Academy for Architectural Culture in Hamburg was launched at the initiative of architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners. Supported by the gmp Stiftung, the aac offers highly gifted young architects from all over the world a valuable additional qualification. This year, twenty award-holders from Germany and China took part in a five-week course in Hamburg to work out a scheme for the future use of the 460 ha site on Berlin´s Tegel Airport.

The objective was to develop practicable, future-oriented urban planning an building engineering concepts for an "energy-plus city" that goes beyond the "triple zero" concept in producing more energy over the year than it consumes.