Danish architectural firm 3XN has been chosen to develop a new arena at Olympiapark in the German city of Munich.
3XN will lead the project in association with landscape architects Latz + Partner after initially being shortlisted as one of two contenders for the contract in November. Following a design contest that was launched by Red Bull Stadion München and the City of Munich in August, a selection panel shortlisted proposals from 3XN and Latz + Partner, along with gmp, Hamburg and Ulrich Krüger Landschaftsarchitekten.
Located southwest of the Olympiastadion, the 11,500-seat venue will be the new home of German Ice Hockey League (DEL) club Red Bull München and Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) outfit FC Bayern München. The design choice was made by energy drinks giant Red Bull, which is financing the project, FC Bayern München and software company SAP, which will hold naming rights to the venue.
The building, in addition to the bowl of the arena, will contain three training rinks, changing rooms, offices, a rooftop bar, a cafe and an underground car park. 3XN said it focused on acquiring a deep understanding of the original design and the mind-set behind it.
The guiding design principle focused on sport in the landscape, echoing the motto of the 1972 Olympics, ‘Olympic Games in the green’ and building on the original vision of Günter Behnisch and Frei Otto.
The new arena intends to blend into Olympiapark and will feature a green roof. Jan Ammundsen, senior partner and head of design at 3XN, said: “We are very happy and proud to design the new multifunctional sports arena in Olympiapark München, which will be the fourth arena project for 3XN.
“It’s a great way to become part of this inspiring, historic overall architecture. During the design process, we kept thinking about the ideas behind the original design and often asked ourselves what Günter Behnisch’s approach was.
“It was important to us to create a flexible and versatile arena with a strong identity that still respects the history and vision of the original Olympiapark, and of course fits into the Olympiapark. We want to create the framework for a great fan experience.”
Depending on the progress of the construction and approval process, the laying of the foundation stone is planned for this winter, with the new arena scheduled to open in the summer of 2021.
Christine Strobl, Mayor of the City of Munich, said: “The sports facilities in the core area of the Olympiapark, all of which form an extraordinary ensemble, demanded sensitive planning for the new sports arena. The design of the architecture firm 3XN and the participating landscape architects was able to convince the jury of this realisation across the board.
“The new arena will fit harmoniously into the park landscape and create elegant highlights with its façade structure and the green roof. For the City of Munich, the contractual use of the ice rinks – around 8,000 hours per season – offers a unique opportunity to create excellent conditions for public skating, as well as school skating and club sport.”
SAP will also serve as a technology and innovation partner for the project. A contest was launched yesterday (Thursday) to determine the name of the arena through an online voting process that will close on March 4.
Images: 3XN
