The Bauakademie (Building Academy, also known as the Schinkelsche Bauakademie) in Berlin, Germany, was a higher education institution for the art of building to train master builders. Founded on 18 March 1799 by King Frederick William III, the institution originated from the construction department of the Academy of Fine Arts and Mechanical Sciences (from 1704), which emphasized the aesthetic elements of the art of building while ignoring the technical. Thus, the governmental Upper Building Department ("UBD") decided to establish an entirely new building educational institution named "Bauakademie". In 1801, the institution was incorporated into the UBD.
An iconic building in the history of engineering and architecture for its red brick facade, the Bauakademie was designed by German architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel between 1832 and 1836. Its red brick façade was considered an early basis for modernist architectural styles. In 1945, the building was destroyed during World War II. Despite the fact that reconstruction efforts had already begun, it was demolished in 1962. Following the decision by the German Bundestag in 2016, a Federal Foundation for the Building Academy was established in 2019 to facilitate the reconstruction of the building.
