N-V-O Nuyken von Oefele Architekten und Stadtplaner

Description

Right by Munich’s Ostbahnhof train station, a former industrial part of town is being turned into the new «Werksviertel Mitte». After being the production site of the Pfanni brand potato products, it temporarily became the «Kunstpark Ost». Now, the district is being transformed into a, lively new urban neighbourhood. In the past, the potatoes for the Pfanni production used to be stored in WERK 7. To regulate temperature and humidity, the hall was equipped with an ingenious ventilation system in the floor, the walls and the roof. It also had sluiceways to transport and wash the potatoes. These structures define the hall to this day and give it its unique character. The hall was renovated and «got into shape» as a multifunctional event venue with just a few modifications. In addition to putting in place fire safety measures, refurbishing the concrete, removing any asbestos and integrating the necessary building services for events, the building envelope was renovated. The corrugated fibre cement, which contained asbestos, was replaced with a corrugated metal façade. The graffiti on the concrete base is constantly painted over by renowned graffiti artists – a piece of art that is continually evolving. The ridge turret was given profile glazing and a green light installation. Potatoes do not germinate in green light; the light is therefore a symbol of the building’s history that is visible from afar, while the renovated ventilation flaps also have a very practical function, namely to make the building cooler by night and get rid of smoke. The old porch was demolished and replaced by a new one which serves as the entrance area for the hall. Two large dormers were also added to act as focal points on the façade and as a shop window to the outside world. The hall was designed for different uses and can accommodate up to 1,000 visitors. Currently, WERK 7 is used as a musical theatre.