Am Oberwiesenfeld Munich

ingenhoven associates have won the competition to plan a new urban quarter in Munich. By 2027, a new city district for more than 1,000 residents will be built north of Olympic Park on a currently unused, former industrial site, previously occupied by Knorr-Bremse AG. Now, a lively mixture of apartments, shops, and restaurants, two day-care centres, a nursing home, as well as office space is to be arranged around a spacious communal garden.

Christoph Ingenhoven: “Munich’s population is increasing, but its growing needs must be met while while conserving natural resources. Our response as architects should be to develop sustainable concepts for these large, dense, liveable cities. We look forward to planning a vibrant quarter in Munich – a piece of the city for everyone, which meets the highest ecological standards and integrates various forms of greenery, from green roofs and terraces to a large community garden.”

Photovoltaics and smart use of district heating, cradle-to-cradle approach, and communal garden

The design sets “new standards in architectural and urban development”, according to Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Merk, Planning Commissioner of the City of Munich. The former industrial site, long closed, will now be opened up, and the urban space of the Olympic Park will be expanded to the north according to a new concept. The project upholds high sustainability standards, which reflect the goal of the City of Munich to be carbon neutral by 2030. The consumption of energy and natural resources will be considered over the buildings’ entire life cycle and minimized as far as possible.

Already during the construction phase, the use of recycled concrete, among other things, will reduce carbon emissions by up to 25 percent. Photovoltaics installed on the roofs and parts of the facades, combined with smart use of district heating, will enable the creation of a climate-neutral, energy-efficient neighbourhood. Taking a cradle-to-cradle design approach will ensure that building materials will go on to have a second life. The sophisticated green concept includes green roofs, planted curved balconies, and a large communal garden accessible to all residents of the new quarter. Giving back as much green as possible to the city, which improves the urban microclimate and counteracts the urban heat island effect in city centres, is a key priority at ingenhoven associates.

“We want to build a city, not a settlement. We are pursuing a very long-term perspective,” said Dr. Jürgen Büllesbach, Managing Director at OPES. OPES Immobilien GmbH, which is backed by the Munich-based entrepreneur Heinz Hermann Thiele, will keep the properties of the new quarter in its portfolio over the long term and also manage them. In accordance with Munich’s Socially Equitable Land Use regulations (SoBoN), 40 percent of the housing will be state subsidised or rent-capped. This will ensure a lively mix of residents reflecting a broad cross-section of the population.

A city for all

“We want to build a city, not a settlement. We are pursuing a very long-term perspective,” said Dr. Jürgen Büllesbach, Managing Director at OPES. OPES Immobilien GmbH, which is backed by the Munich-based entrepreneur Heinz Hermann Thiele, will keep the properties of the new quarter in its portfolio over the long term and also manage them. In accordance with Munich’s Socially Equitable Land Use regulations (SoBoN), 40 percent of the housing will be state subsidised or rent-capped. This will ensure a lively mix of residents reflecting a broad cross-section of the population. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2022, with expected completion in 2027.