Olympiahalle receives a full make-over

The Olympiahalle, a favorite venue for concerts, musicals, sport events and dog shows is in for a total make-over. Built for the Olympics in 1972 it emits the slightly musty charm of an era gone by. The partnership entered by the Olympiapark GmbH and the Stadtwerke München beginning of this year has provided the necessary funding estimated at €50 mio (at no costs to SWM customers). “If we want to play in the worldwide major league of concert venues we have to modernize�, says Wilfrid Spronk, Manager of the Olympiapark. Visitors and organizers will profit from the better service, improved comfort and expanded program.

After the MTV Europe Music Awards in November 2007 work will commence with a tentative finishing date of early 2010 without disrupting the planned programs where possible. For the duration a two-storey tent suitable for smaller events will be set up on the Coubertinplatz.

In detail, the following changes and additions are planned: A new access for trucks carrying heavy tour equipment, new facilities for the kitchen and catering services now occupying the Coubertinplatz, refreshment stands to replace the current stalls, a new roof covering, the seating capacity is to be expanded to 15,500 from 13,400, the stage will be moved ten meters back and the current section for guests of honor will be rebuilt as a “hospitality area� with a capacity of 1,000. This area will be complemented by 380 new business seats with a separate entrance. A completely new “Kleine Olympiahalle� with a capacity of 4,000 will be built entirely underground between the current Olympiahalle and the swimming pool, avoiding any disturbance of the protected design of the Olympic complex.

Pièce de résistance, however, will be the new restaurant: A futuristic glass-walled area extending from the Coubertinplatz outside the Olympiahalle into the arena itself, resting on stilts and providing a bird’s eye view of the interior. The culinary infrastructure, or better, the lack thereof, has long been a thorn in Spronk’s side. In its own way, this restaurant will be as exciting and innovative as the revolving restaurant in the Olympiaturm.

In order to avoid conflicts with the protected design the original architect firm of Auer und Weber has been involved in the planning and execution.

Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung 16 June 2007

Nice and all, but please please please could they just stop selling Löwenbräu pipe cleaner beer while they are at it too?

Sound fabulous, esp as the original architects are able to work with the people this time around. Too bad they couldn't get it together for the WM, but the Allianz Arena's nice too.

Re beer -- Urtyp's all right, isn't it?

Definitely more tasty than the dishwater they serve at the Olympiahalle.

pfft, beer is so 1970s. everyone knows all the rock kids are drinking caipis while moshing along to their rock heroes these days.

get with it.

there is nothing worse than pushing a case over limes and sugar. except pushing 400 cases over 400 limes in 400 sugary pools of melted ice.

Was doing a little something in Theatron in Olympiapark and saw that theyve started building the 2 story "tent" that will house the Haberl (now Arena One) Catering company while the corner of the Olympiahalle where they are currently situated is being ripped apart and turned into the restaurant with the glass facade.

Arena One are the lovely boys and girls who provide eats and drinks for all visitors to Olympiapark.

I stumbled upon this site the other day, and found an set of articles about the Munich's preparations for the 1972 Olympics.

Definitely an interesting read, especially as they are now remodelling the Olympiahalle and the studentenstadt "bungalow" part of the Olympic village is about to be razed.

was in the olympiahalle this morning for a wee look around.

obviously building work on the new kleine olympiahalle has already begun, as has work on extending the old kleine olympiahalle to provide covered truck access to the olympiahalle.

the cycling track segment will be completely removed, and replaced with retractable seating that will fit flush with the existing rings. when the seating is not needed (in the event of a cycling event...) the seats will retract and a cycling curve will be brought in and installed for the duration of the event.

extended dressing room, catering and production areas will also be installed. itll make the olympiahalle a better venue, but i think the only big difference for the concert goer is that there will be a brand new 4k concert venue for a range of concerts that otherwise wouldnt have come to munich. the problem of tonhalle too small (and small refers also to the deck clearance), zenith too big is solved.

in other news, zenithhalle, on top of opening the kesselhaus opposite the zenith (which has got to be one of the best locations for a party/event ive ever seen in munich) are going to be opening up a new bigger concert hall (up to 10,000) in one of the old engine houses nearby. all the deals are done, its just a matter of converting it to up to specs.

hopefully this will spur a new revival of the munich concert scene, which has been dying a death for the last couple of years.

just need old man munich and his sons and daughters to get the fuck out and buy tickets.