MUCcc Arena

The challenge for the design team was to develop a sustainable, multi-purpose arena which reimagines the viewing experience, transforming central Munich into a premier European entertainment district. The brief also called for an eye-catching design that pays homage to Bavarian heritage and culture to create a venue with a distinct and instantly-recognisable form.

Populous responded to these challenges by creating a distinctive rhombus-shaped exoskeleton, which references the lozenge-like forms that make up the Bavarian state flag and gives the venue its striking appearance. The design also conceives a fresh outlook on seating configuration. The seating is arranged in a horseshoe shape (270 degrees), clearly focusing on the multifunctional stage. The combination of steeply raked seating, state-of-the-art technology, and cutting-edge acoustic design will result in world-class experiences at concerts and live events.

In a first for Germany, the arena will be climate-neutral thanks to lifecycle-based planning to reduce the carbon footprint during construction and climate-positive building operations strategies. Several thousand solar panels on the roof of the arena and around the site, coupled with the potential for geothermal energy and district heating, will ensure that the energy for operating the arena can be generated and supplied on site.

The interior design considers the ever-increasing demands of artists in terms of technology, stage shows and production. Countless details are tailored to satisfy the needs of artists, organisers and visitors to provide incomparable concert and live event experiences.

The arena will be located in an entirely new green space next to LabCampus, the technology and innovation centre at Munich Airport. It will add to the region's cultural offering, boosting tourism and injecting an estimated 285 million euros annually into the local economy.