BGW Bielefelder Gesellschaft für Wohnen und Immobiliendienstleistungen

BGW Bielefelder Gesellschaft für Wohnen und Immobiliendienstleistungen mbH is a municipal real-estate company based in Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Founded on 1 April 1950 to help rebuild the housing stock of a city heavily destroyed in the Second World War, it has developed from a pure housing provider into a modern real-estate services company. Its core business remains the letting and management of affordable housing for all population groups and age classes — from student apartments and family flats to barrier-free homes for seniors. According to its own information it is the largest housing provider in Ostwestfalen-Lippe (OWL) and the largest company in Bielefeld's real-estate sector, with roughly 12,000 of its own apartments and about 270 commercial units. The company is owned by the City of Bielefeld (75%), Ravensberger Heimstättengesellschaft mbH, part of the LEG-Immobilien-Gruppe (15%), and Freie Scholle Bielefeld (10%). It operates as a GmbH and is not stock-listed. Its portfolio and services span rental apartments, commercial premises, parking spaces, student shared flats and tenant services, and it is active in new construction, modernisation and full-quarter regeneration. Current new-build projects include eight buildings with 96 residential units in Bielefeld-Vilsendorf (Gerda-Grube-Straße / Marie-Louise-Haase-Straße) and 18 barrier-free apartments at Heisenbergweg in Bielefeld-Mitte, nine of them publicly subsidised and nine privately financed. BGW is best known for the 'Bielefelder Modell', launched in 1996 together with cooperation partners and the association Alt und Jung. The concept combines self-determined living in a familiar neighbourhood with guaranteed care and support, and is regarded as one of the oldest and most proven approaches to age-appropriate neighbourhood development. It has been evaluated by the University of Bielefeld, implemented in more than 20 projects in Bielefeld and adopted by many other German cities, including Munich, Mainz and Hamburg. In 2026 the model celebrated its 30th anniversary and is currently being run in eleven neighbourhoods with partners such as AWO, the initiative 'Gepflegt Wohnen e.V.' and DRK Soziale Dienste. Beyond housing, BGW has built 13 day-care centres and provides premises for two kindergartens and several parent initiatives. It also runs a 'Zukunfts-Kita' project to create additional childcare capacity and provides accommodation for refugees and homeless people through its own hostel management. The company has received several awards, including the 'Best Place to Learn' seal in 2023, the German Building Owners' Prize (Deutscher Bauherrenpreis) in 2008 and a special prize for housing and personal services from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in 2005 for the Bielefelder Modell. Its history also includes controversy: in 2002 it acquired the listed Hof Kulbrock farmstead from the city and demolished it in 2018 despite widespread public protest.

BGW was founded on 1 April 1950 as the Bielefelder Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft, with the task of rebuilding the housing stock of Bielefeld, which had been heavily destroyed during the Second World War. In the post-war decades the company grew into the city's dominant housing provider and also contributed to social infrastructure: it built 13 day-care centres and makes premises available to two kindergartens and several parent initiatives. In 1967 the company received the architecture prize of the Bund Deutscher Architekten Ostwestfalen for the atrium houses in the Bültmannshof settlement, designed by architect Jürgen Lauster. In 1996, on the initiative of the association Alt und Jung and BGW, the 'Bielefelder Modell' was launched — a concept for age-appropriate neighbourhood development that combines self-determined living in a familiar neighbourhood with guaranteed care and support. It is considered one of the oldest and most proven concepts of its kind, was evaluated by the University of Bielefeld, has been implemented in more than 20 projects in Bielefeld and has been adopted by many other German cities. Around the turn of the millennium the company broadened its activities. Since 2000, the modernisation of complete neighbourhoods has been a focus of its business, improving energy standards, the appearance of residential areas and tenants' quality of life. In 2001 it won first prize in the nationwide competition 'Wer baut für die Zukunft?' for the solar settlement at Schneidemühler Straße. In 2002 it acquired the Hof Kulbrock, a farmstead built in 1783 and recognised as worthy of heritage protection, from the City of Bielefeld; the building was demolished in 2018 despite widespread protest from citizens and several associations. In 2005 the Bielefelder Modell received the first special prize for housing and personal services of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In 2008 the housing complex at Heinrichstraße won the Deutscher Bauherrenpreis, and in 2010 the company received the citizens' prize in a façade competition for Voltmannstraße 205. In 2016 the company changed its name from 'Bielefelder Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft' to 'BGW Bielefelder Gesellschaft für Wohnen und Immobiliendienstleistungen', reflecting its development from a pure housing provider into a modern real-estate services company. In 2023 it was awarded the 'Best Place to Learn' seal. By the mid-2020s BGW owned roughly 12,000 apartments and about 270 commercial units, making it the largest real-estate company in Bielefeld and the number one housing provider in Ostwestfalen-Lippe. Its ownership structure is municipal: 75% City of Bielefeld, 15% Ravensberger Heimstättengesellschaft mbH (LEG-Immobilien-Gruppe) and 10% Freie Scholle Bielefeld. In 2026 the Bielefelder Modell celebrated its 30th anniversary, now implemented in eleven neighbourhoods together with the City of Bielefeld and three social partners including AWO, the initiative 'Gepflegt Wohnen e.V.' and DRK Soziale Dienste. The concept continues to attract nationwide attention and has been taken up in cities such as Munich, Mainz and Hamburg. Current construction activity includes eight buildings with 96 residential units in Bielefeld-Vilsendorf, scheduled for completion in spring 2027, and 18 barrier-free apartments at Heisenbergweg in Bielefeld-Mitte. The company also runs a 'Zukunfts-Kita' project to create additional childcare places and provides hostel accommodation for refugees and homeless people.

• 2026

  30th anniversary of the 'Bielefelder Modell', now implemented in eleven neighbourhoods.

• 2023

  Awarded the 'Best Place to Learn' seal.

• 2018

  Demolition of Hof Kulbrock despite widespread protest from citizens and associations.

• 2016

  Renamed from 'Bielefelder Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft' to 'BGW Bielefelder Gesellschaft für Wohnen und Immobiliendienstleistungen'.

• 2010

  Citizens' prize in the façade competition for Voltmannstraße 205.

• 2008

  Deutscher Bauherrenpreis for the housing complex at Heinrichstraße.

• 2005

  First special prize for housing and personal services of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia for the 'Bielefelder Modell'.

• 2002

  Acquired the heritage-worthy Hof Kulbrock (built 1783) from the City of Bielefeld.

• 2001

  First prize in the nationwide competition 'Wer baut für die Zukunft?' for the solar settlement at Schneidemühler Straße.

• 2000

  Modernisation of complete neighbourhoods becomes a focus of business activity.

• 1996

  Launch of the 'Bielefelder Modell' on the initiative of the association Alt und Jung and BGW.

• 1967

  Awarded the architecture prize of the Bund Deutscher Architekten Ostwestfalen for the atrium houses in the Bültmannshof settlement (architect Jürgen Lauster).

• 1950

  Founded on 1 April 1950 as Bielefelder Gemeinnützige Wohnungsgesellschaft to rebuild Bielefeld's war-destroyed housing stock.

Municipal, socially oriented housing and real-estate services provider; largest landlord in Ostwestfalen-Lippe, focused on affordable housing for all generations and on age-appropriate neighbourhood development.

• Bielefelder Modell

  Age-appropriate neighbourhood living concept combining self-determined living with guaranteed care and support; launched 1996, implemented in more than 20 Bielefeld projects and adopted in other German cities.

• New-build project Gerda-Grube-Straße / Marie-Louise-Haase-Straße

  Eight buildings with 96 residential units in Bielefeld-Vilsendorf, completion planned for spring 2027.

• New-build project Heisenbergweg

  18 barrier-free apartments in Bielefeld-Mitte, nine publicly subsidised and nine privately financed.

• Zukunfts-Kita

  Project to create additional childcare capacity in Bielefeld.

• Heimbeiwirtschaftung

  Accommodation for refugees and local homeless people.

1. 1BGW - größter Wohnungsanbieter in OWL - BGW Bielefeldbgw-bielefeld.de
2. 2Über uns - BGW Bielefeldbgw-bielefeld.de
3. 3Projekte - BGW Bielefeldbgw-bielefeld.de
4. 4Eine Erfolgsgeschichte mit Zukunft: 30 Jahre "Bielefelder Modell" - BGW Bielefeldbgw-bielefeld.de
5. 5BGW Bielefelder Gesellschaft für Wohnen und Immobiliendienstleistungen - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6BGW Bielefelder Gesellschaft für Wohnen und Immobiliendienstleistungen - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org