Boulder Church wins Hessian Demography Prize

The Boulder Church project in Bad Orb has been awarded the 2026 Hessian Demography Prize. The initiative transformed a vacant former church building into a vibrant community meeting point, addressing challenges posed by demographic change and rural vacancy.

Out of 110 applicants, the Boulder Church project received 8,000 euros to further its mission of bringing different generations together. Other prize winners included the Kirchhain-based project ‘Bezahlbar bauen’, which focuses on affordable housing prototypes, and the Alsfeld children's festival ‘Leo feiert’, which converts the city center into an adventure playground. The total prize pool amounted to 25,000 euros.