Friday, 21. November 2025 |
Architects of SAP Garden visit
After extensive planning and three years of construction, the SAP Garden in Munich's Olympic Park was completed in May 2023. On September 27, 2024, the multifunctional arena opened its doors for the first time with a grand opening between four-time ice hockey champions Red Bull Munich and the NHL team Buffalo Sabres.
Since then, SAP Garden has not only served as the home of EHC Red Bull Munich and FC Bayern Basketball, but has also hosted various sporting and sports-related events. The Danish architectural firm 3XN was responsible for the design and planning in collaboration with landscape architects LATZ+PARTNER.
The idea behind the building
Just under a year after its opening, Bork, Skov Kunert, and Scharf return to the place where the new landmark was built thanks to their commitment. “Architecture is a team sport,” emphasizes Verena Scharf.
Verena Scharf, Jesper Bork, Olaf Skov Kunert, and Oliver Wesp (from left to right)
The construction of SAP Garden also arose from the idea of extending the Olympic Park into this previously rather uninhabited corner, where the Olympic Velodrome stood until 2015, and covering the training halls with artificial hills. For Bork, the construction was “something very special.”
Attention to detail
The architects didn't just want to put a new building in the Olympic Park, they wanted to create its own identity. According to Skov Kunert, this is reflected in the colors and dynamic lines of the SAP Garden's facade. The result is 260 “hockey sticks.” On closer inspection, it is also noticeable that the pilaster strips change color depending on the daylight.
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Photos: FloHagena.com / SAP GARDEN
Upon arrival, Bork notes: “When you come by tram and walk out of the underpass, you only see a small part of the façade at first. But you know immediately what kind of building it is. That's identity.”
The SAP Garden has now become an integral part of Munich's cityscape. It's no coincidence that the multifunctional arena was recently nominated for the UNESCO Prix Versailles architecture award, officially ranking it among the most beautiful sports venues in the world.
You can read the full interview with architects Jesper Bork, Olaf Skov Kunert, Verena Scharf, and Oliver Wesp, managing director of Red Bull Stadion München GmbH, at Münchner Merkur.
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