Modernisation and new construction

After 35 years the time has finally come. The first major changes to the Olympic buildings are due: The Olympic Hall is to be renovated and a completely new Small Olympic Hall is to be built. The modernisation of the Park's centre piece is of great importance to the future of the Olympic Park. The key changes can be summarised as follows: enhancements to the stand and an increase in capacity; a restaurant offering a wide choice of food with external access; built-in kiosks (some also with external access); a completely new VIP area with access to business seats; a new logistics area with kitchen and direct delivery to the stage area; and a connecting tunnel to the new Small Olympic Hall, which will be built underground and have a capacity for 2,000 to 4,000 visitors. This will significantly increase the range of venues on offer in Munich, and both visitors and customers will in future experience an Olympic Hall with more service and a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. New access, Small Olympic Hall and central kitchen Completely new access to the stage area will be built where the Small Olympic Hall, as an annex to the Olympic Hall, currently stands. Even large trucks will then be able to drive up to the backstage area to unload all kinds of equipment. In order to ensure economical operation of the new restaurant, delivery, storage and rubbish areas will be brought together at the rear of the Small Olympic Hall. Two floors above it, a new central kitchen preparing ready meals will be installed – with respective short-term storeroom and cold storage rooms – and is connected to the new restaurant via a basement. The existing kitchen in the Olympic Hall will be converted into a washing-up area: new changing rooms for the entire catering staff will be created one level below this. A new access road for goods vehicles is planned on the north side of the Small Olympic Hall. The former entrance building to the Small Olympic Hall will be converted into a covered area for the containers, which, until now, have stood outside. In order to offer a replacement venue for the Small Olympic Hall, which will no longer be available due to the implementation of the above measures, a ‘New Small Olympic Hall’ is planned on the east side of the Olympic Hall for up to 4,000 visitors. Because of the size of the building, and in order to fit in with the architectural ensemble of the other Olympic buildings, this hall is to be constructed underground between the Olympic Hall and Olympic Swimming Pool. New Small Olympic Hall The hall will be situated under one of the embankments of the landscaped ‘floe’ connecting the Lilian-Board-Weg and the Lutz-Long-Ufer. Sufficient light will be provided by generously-sized windows. Access will be via a conical ‘incision’ in the ground running between the hall and foyer, which will serve as both a connecting passage and entrance area. The entrance level of the foyer will include cloakrooms; changing rooms will be provided on an intermediate level. The catering facilities and toilet areas will be located in the lower foyer level. In the event that both halls are being used at once, the connection between the foyer and hall level of the Olympic Hall will be via the existing connecting tunnel to the workshop building, which, through the connection of the hall, will be architecturally enhanced by the related expansion of this area. Deliveries to the hall will be via a ramp and a covered delivery area, which will be connected to the existing indoor swimming pool tunnel. Olympic Hall: restaurant, kiosks, VIP area and stand extension A new restaurant seating approx. 480 and a newly planned beer garden with approx. 1,000 seats, as well as a row of permanent kiosks in the foyer area of the Olympic Hall will set new standards in catering both inside and in the area surrounding the hall. The restaurant can additionally serve as a temporary foyer with standing room for up to 990 on the restaurant level and up to 400 on the roof terrace. The part of the restaurant facing the inside of the hall (approx. 260 seats) will offer extensive views into the arena due to its floor to ceiling glass ‘cockpit’ above the stand; while the section facing Coubertinplatz (approx. 130 seats) with a terrace in front (approx. 90 seats) will be orientated towards the central area with Olympic lake, Olympic hill and stadium. Both restaurants will be connected to Coubertinplatz by a step ramp via the foyer; and also served by a common kitchen preparing ready meals situated in-between. Supply of food from the central kitchen, as well as disposal of waste, will take place via the basement. The beer garden serving area and side entrance to the restaurant with toilet facilities are located on the pedestrian level. In keeping with the architectural concept of the Olympic buildings, the steel construction of the restaurant will contain lightweight fixtures, room for pedestrians to pass through and will create the impression of a ‘ship’ with accessible look-out decks. Kiosks Eight permanent kiosks will be erected on the entrance level and in the visitor concourse one level below, as well as a large kiosk in the restaurant area, which, with their modern operation and contemporary design, will facilitate profitable business.  A kiosk on the south side will allow external sales towards the entrance of the swimming pool and will replace the temporary free-standing kiosk. The kiosks will be made of steel and covered with silver-coloured metal panels. They will be integrated into the hall's facade as ‘units’ so as not to restrict movement in the concourse. The existing temporary ticket office facilities next to the east and west entrances will be taken out and integrated into the porch area. Level 2 VIP area The existing VIP area will be largely gutted and equipped with new mobile dividing walls, variable for individual sponsor rooms or for large connected areas. This will allow flexible use and catering in this area for up to 1,200 VIPs. The entrance to the VIP area will be moved and combined with the entrance to the existing administrative building, in a new shared glass foyer. New parking places for VIPs, with appropriate greenery, as well as parking places for TV trucks and broadcasting vehicles, will be built on the north side of the administration building. In this area, a new service tunnel will also connect with the existing access tunnel to the workshop building. The entrances to the arena from the VIP area will be optically enhanced. In the first redevelopment phase, around 350 comfortable ‘business seats’ will be offered in the stand. The current press block in the stand will moved one block towards the east curve. The new press entrance in the area of foyer two will be furnished with a glass porch. Stand extension Following the extension of the cycling track, a new telescopic stand with up to approx. 1,270 seats will be built into the east curve. The geometry of the new telescopic stand will follow the arena’s geometry. The existing mobile stands on both of the long sides will be replaced by mobile stands – each with approx. 380 seats – projecting further into the hall level. The stage has been moved about 10 metres westwards, so that the capacity of the hall will be increased by a total of approx. 1,500 seats. Restrictions during the construction phase The Olympic Hall will remain fully operational during the building work but, of course, there will be some restrictions for visitors and customers. In particular, Coubertinplatz will be altered for about two years, because a two-storey marquee will be erected there as a replacement for the old Small Olympic Hall. This will be used as an annex to the Olympic Hall and as a venue for minor events during the rebuilding phase. In addition, the parking capacity will be reduced on the north side of the Olympic Hall. However, the builders will take care to ensure that any unavoidable disruption for visitors and customers is kept to a minimum.