Munich's urban districts – sustainability within reach

How can an old industrial site be transformed into a vibrant urban district? What role do communal living arrangements, creative temporary uses and renewable energies play? And how can cities grow in a way that is socially, ecologically and architecturally sustainable? With these questions in mind, master's students from the part-time program Energy & Sustainability Management at the University of Applied Sciences Kufstein Tirol set off for Munich's Werksviertel district – an area that won the German Urban Development Award in 2023 and today demonstrates how living, working, culture and leisure can come together in a sustainable urban quarter.

The excursion provided valuable insights and lively discussions for the students. Course director Asc. Prof. (FH) Dipl.-Ing. Christian Huber emphasises the importance of such experiences: "Excursions like this make sustainability tangible. Seeing first-hand which ideas work and how much commitment goes into such projects gives you a completely different understanding of how a city develops."

SUSTAINABILITY, CREATIVITY AND LIVING COMFORT IN MUNICH

Right at the start, the Werksviertel district showed how a former industrial area can be completely redesigned. In Ramersdorf, the students gained insights into cooperative forms of living and a neighbourhood that has been modernised in terms of energy efficiency while also enabling family- and age-appropriate living. Two very different examples of creative temporary use were particularly exciting: Riesige Rosi, an underpass, was transformed into the world's largest public bouldering wall, while the temporary cultural spaces on the former Gasteig site offer space for art, exhibitions and events. Prinz-Eugen-Park also impressed with its model housing estate built using timber construction methods. Here, the students were able to experience how sustainable materials, modern architecture and a high level of living comfort come together.

The agenda also included major urban transport projects such as the second trunk line and the future of heat supply using deep geothermal energy. The tour concluded with a visit to a solar thermal local heating plant with large seasonal storage, which supplies around 320 households in an efficient and climate-friendly manner.

MANY IMPRESSIONS AND NEW PERSPECTIVES

The students were particularly impressed by the mix of projects they visited: "Everything was covered, from urban development, renovation and temporary use to timber construction, urban gardening projects and renewable heat supply. This shows that sustainable change is most successful when different disciplines work together and new approaches are tried out."

Despite the rain, the students took home many positive impressions. The excursion clearly demonstrated how much potential there is in bold ideas and forward-looking concepts – and how important it is to think about urban development holistically.

Links: 

• Energy & Sustainability Management | ft
• Energy & Sustainability Management | pt