# ARGE-SH
**Wikidata**: [Q627687](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q627687)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARGE-SH)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/arge-sh

## Summary
ARGE-SH (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für zeitgemäßes Bauen e.V.) is a German research institute and registered non-profit association founded in 1946 and headquartered in Kiel. It is formally classified as a research organization with dedicated identifiers in global library and knowledge systems.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Arbeitsgemeinschaft für zeitgemäßes Bauen e.V. (Association for Contemporary Building)
- **Common Aliases:** ARGE-SH, ARGE//eV, ARGE SH
- **Inception:** Founded in 1946
- **Legal Form:** Registered association (eingetragener Verein) under German law
- **Headquarters:** Walkerdamm 17, 24103 Kiel, Germany
- **Primary Classification:** Research institute (instance of: research institute, nonprofit organization)
- **Industry:** Research
- **Country:** Germany
- **Wikipedia Presence:** Articles exist in 2 languages (German and English)
- **Global Identifiers:**
  - GND ID: 2004422-7 (German National Library)
  - VIAF ID: 130822341
  - Library of Congress Authority ID: n82037547
  - Legal Entity Identifier (LEI): 391200XXVJB11DK8FD95 (valid from 2017-08-25)
  - European Unique Identifier: DEX1517R.VR2002KI
  - Freebase ID: /m/0fdjbs
- **Online Presence:** Official website at https://arge-ev.de/; archived site at http://web.archive.org/web/20120204223752/https://arge-sh.de/
- **Schema.org Type:** Mapped to ResearchOrganization (sameAs: Wikidata Q31855)

## FAQs
**What is the primary purpose of ARGE-SH?**
ARGE-SH operates as a research institute, meaning its core mission is to conduct systematic investigation and generate new knowledge, distinct from organizations that combine research with teaching or commercial objectives.

**Where is ARGE-SH located and what is its legal status?**
It is headquartered in Kiel, Germany, at Walkerdamm 17, and is legally structured as an eingetragener Verein (registered association), a common form for non-profit organizations in Germany.

**How is ARGE-SH identified in global library and data systems?**
The institute is assigned persistent identifiers across multiple authoritative systems, including the German National Library's GND ID (2004422-7), the U.S. Library of Congress Authority ID (n82037547), and a Legal Entity Identifier (391200XXVJB11DK8FD95) for financial and regulatory contexts.

**Does ARGE-SH have a public online presence?**
Yes, it maintains an official website at arge-ev.de and has historically been represented online, with an archived version of its arge-sh.de domain preserved by the Internet Archive.

## Why It Matters
As a dedicated research institute founded in 1946, ARGE-SH represents a critical organizational model for sustained, focused inquiry independent of academic teaching loads or corporate profit motives. Its longevity since the post-war era signifies a long-term commitment to advancing knowledge in its field—presumably building and construction, inferred from its name "Association for Contemporary Building." By existing as a standalone non-profit research entity, it provides a stable infrastructure for projects that may require extended timelines or involve higher risk, contributing specialized expertise to address complex challenges in the built environment. Its formal recognition through international identifiers (GND, VIAF, LEI) and presence in multiple Wikipedia language editions underscores its established role and credibility within both national and global research ecosystems.

## Notable For
- **Longevity:** Continuous operation as a research institute since 1946.
- **Specific Legal Identity:** Structured as a German *eingetragener Verein* (registered association), a distinct legal form for non-profit associations.
- **Precise Geographic Anchoring:** Headquarters listed with a full street address (Walkerdamm 17) and postal code (24103) in Kiel.
- **Multilingual Documentation:** Recognized with Wikipedia articles in both German and English.
- **Comprehensive Identifier Portfolio:** Holds a rare combination of library (GND, LoC), data (VIAF, Freebase), and financial/legal (LEI, European Unique Identifier) persistent identifiers.
- **Dedicated Research Focus:** Classified explicitly as a *ResearchOrganization*, differentiating it from hybrid university departments or policy-focused think tanks.

## Body

### History and Founding
ARGE-SH was established in 1946, placing its foundation in the immediate post-World War II period. This historical context suggests a potential role in reconstruction and the development of modern building practices in Germany. The exact founders or initiating circumstances are not detailed in the provided source material.

### Legal and Organizational Structure
The entity is formally constituted as an **eingetragener Verein (e.V.)**, which is the German legal designation for a registered association. This is a non-profit legal form commonly used for clubs, charitable organizations, and professional associations. Its status as both a **research institute** and a **nonprofit organization** is explicitly stated in its instance-of classifications. It holds a **Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)**: `391200XXVJB11DK8FD95`, which became valid on **2017-08-25**, indicating its engagement in modern financial and regulatory reporting frameworks. Additionally, it possesses a **European Unique Identifier**: `DEX1517R.VR2002KI`.

### Geographic and Physical Location
ARGE-SH's headquarters is definitively located at **Walkerdamm 17, 24103 Kiel, Germany**. The postal code `24103` specifies a district within Kiel. This precise address is recorded in its structured data with geographic qualifiers confirming the country as Germany.

### Global Recognition and Identification
The institute is cataloged in major international library and knowledge authority files:
*   **German National Library (DNB):** GND ID `2004422-7`.
*   **U.S. Library of Congress:** Authority ID `n82037547`.
*   **Virtual International Authority File (VIAF):** ID `130822341`.
*   **Wikidata:** sameAs identifier `Q31855`, which maps to the schema.org type `ResearchOrganization`.
*   **Freebase:** ID `/m/0fdjbs` (a now-deprecated but historically significant knowledge graph).
This widespread indexing confirms its recognition as a formal, citable entity across different national and disciplinary information systems.

### Digital Presence and Documentation
ARGE-SH maintains an active official website at **https://arge-ev.de/**. A historical version of a website under the domain **arge-sh.de** is preserved in the **Internet Archive** (Wayback Machine) as of February 4, 2012, indicating a prior or alternative digital identity. Its presence is documented on **Wikipedia** in **two languages**: German (`de`) and English (`en`), with a total sitelink count of 2. The German Wikipedia title is "ARGE-SH".

### Classification and Conceptual Distinction
Within knowledge organization systems, ARGE-SH is classified using the **Geonames feature code S.ITTR**, which is designated for research institutes. It is mapped to the **schema.org** type `ResearchOrganization`, aligning it with structured data standards for the web. The source material provides a general definition of a "research institute" as an organization whose *primary purpose* is research, differentiating it from:
*   **Universities:** Which combine teaching and research.
*   **Think Tanks:** Which focus on policy-oriented research.
*   **Scientific Societies/Learned Societies:** Which are membership-based organizations.
*   **Research Centers:** Which may be sub-units of larger institutions.
ARGE-SH, by being an instance of a "research institute," fits this defined category of a standalone entity dedicated to systematic investigation.

### Name and Aliases
The entity operates under several closely related names, all reflecting its core identity:
*   **Full Legal Name:** Arbeitsgemeinschaft für zeitgemäßes Bauen e.V.
*   **Common Acronym/Short Form:** ARGE-SH
*   **Alternative Formatting:** ARGE//eV, ARGE SH
The name translates to "Association for Contemporary Building," providing strong contextual indication of its research domain within architecture, construction, or building technology. The "SH" likely stands for "Schleswig-Holstein," the northern German state where Kiel is the capital, suggesting a regional focus.