In Obersendling - within Borough 19 of Munich - the
Siemens-factory (Siemenswerke in German) was, from the 1950s onwards, located
on what was then the edge of the city. The factory site comprised of both
offices and factory buildings, among them the well known Siemens Hochhaus
(literally: the Siemens high-rise) built between 1961 and '63. The building
designed by Hans Maurer with its 23 floors and a height of 75 meters was at the
time of completion the tallest office building in Munich.
The Siemens site in Obersendling was located on both
sides of the railway line and edged on open countryside towards the south and
the Isar river valley towards the east. The oldest buildings follow the
original parcelling of the land, the main offices of Siemens are built on a
grid parallel to the railway line.
A reorganisation meant that the site in Obersendling
would become mostly obsolete. This prompted plans to redevelop the site located
near both a fast train link and an underground station; also the Isar river
lies close by to the east. Given this prime location plans were drawn up in
2000 under the name Isar Süd. Siemens
Real Estate planed to redevelop the site between 2005 and 2016 as a mixed use
area with residential and office use. The hitherto closed off site would be
opened up to provide better quality of life for the people already living
nearby, but also for the new residents many of whom would be linked to Siemens.
In several building phases some 440,000 sqm of office space, 120,000 sqm of
residential space and 50,000 sqm of greenery and parks would be realised. The
project also included two tall high-rises of 148 and 112 meter respectively
that would create a new ensemble and skyline with the old Siemens tower.
These towers would prove to be the downfall for the
project. As a result of fears for the well known view towards the Alps, the perceived
negative impact on the Munich skyline and the visibility of the towers from the
Isar valley the redevelopment plans prompted a civil initiative fronted by the
then mayor Georg Kronawitter known as the Initiave-Unser-München (Our Munich Initiative). As a result of
the vote in 2004, it was ordained that no new high-rises would be allowed that exceeded
the height of the Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) at 100 meters. This victory
by the people of Munich resulted in the project Isar Süd to be abandoned.
As a result Siemens decided to vacate the whole site
and planning permission was sought to demolish the former offices including the
Siemens Hochhaus. This also met with fierce opposition, so Siemens Real Estate
sold the land and all the buildings on it to a project developer between 2005
and 2008. New plans were drawn up in accordance with the new development rules
under the name Südseite (literally: the
Southside).
The site was subdivided into 4 redevelopment areas to
correspond with the planned building phases. The aim was to develop a completely
new urban quarter that was marketed as a green family-friendly oasis between
Obersendling and Solln. The plans consisted of 1000 new dwellings -both rental
and owner occupied, a student campus of 300 residential units, education
facilities, care facilities for both children and the elderly, a health centre
and a shopping centre. A 32,000 sqm urban park is also part of the redevelopment.
All houses are apartments, often with parking below in an underground parking garage.
The streets are predominantly laid out towards cyclists and pedestrians. No
through-traffic is possible in the new estate. Large communal garden are
provided for the residents with flower gardens and playgrounds. Building work started
in 2008 and will be completed in 2016.
The new residential area of Südseite is being developed
on both sides of the railway. On the westside we find the student campus, the
shopping centre and the facilities surrounded by a large new park (p).To the east
a large central rectangle of apartment buildings around 5 residential towers
set in communal gardens. Behind this, new apartment building are built in slabs
as is customary in Germany to create an integration with the pre-existing residential
buildings around the site.
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