In late summer of 2021, the Gasteig, Europe's largest cultural center, and its institutions (Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, the city library, the Munich Adult Education Center and Munich College of Music and Theater) will pack their bags and relocate to the temporary site on the premises of the Munich City Utilities (Stadtwerke München) on Hans-Preißinger-Strasse. Construction has been progressing there since February.
In a traditional manner, Andy Böckli, CEO of the NUSSLI Group, hammered in the last nails with Gasteig Managing Director Max Wagner, Munich's Mayor Dieter Reiter and Gasteig Supervisory Board Chairperson Mayor Katrin Habenschaden.
Project Director Roland Gebhardt is proud of reaching this milestone and his team. Gebhardt adds, "In order to be able to implement such an ambitious concert hall, all parties involved must work together perfectly. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved, approval bodies, architects, specialist planners, contractors and above all the Gasteig team for their professional and always goal-oriented cooperation."
The five-story, temporary philharmonic hall, despite its modular design, offers an unparalleled concert experience with impressive dimensions. The acoustics of the concert hall with 1,800 seats in the interim structure measuring almost 60'000 m3 was designed by acoustics expert Yasuhisa Toyota and his firm Nagata Acoustics International. As the general planner, the architectural firm gmp International was responsible for the idea, concept, and planning of the interim philharmonic hall. NUSSLI is implementing the construction.
The current shell comprising a steel structure with reinforced concrete will later become a modern concert hall that will radiate a contemporary character with large windows in the foyer and wooden acoustic elements inside. The quality corresponds to that of a permanent building and will not exhibit any qualitative differences between a permanent or temporary solution. Gasteig's Managing Director Max Wagner believes that a dream team has been created with NUSSLI, a specialist for special buildings in the event and cultural sector, the architecture firm gmp and acoustics specialist Toyota. "We are already looking forward to an interim philharmonic hall of the highest quality", says Max Wagner.
The construction site is now eight months old and eleven further months remain until completion. A great deal has already been accomplished, but the NUSSLI project team still has at least just as much left to do before the first performance can be held. The team of roughly 20 staff members will continue to work with the sub-contractors every day to make swift but above all safe building progress.
BR TV report about the topping-out ceremony (German) (start approx. 17:53)