Grünwalder Stadion through the eyes of Nagler

Article posted by Coliseum, July 8^th, 2025

Image: Mohamed Slyses Zahrouni

The renowned Architecture Professor Florian Nagler has left his mark on Upper Bavaria. He has also left an indelible mark on Munich’s (Germany) Cityscape. His oeuvres include the stilt house at the aquatic venue Dantebad and the Florianskirche Church in Riem, Munich.

‘Abendzeitung’ stated that few years back Professor Nagler and his students at the Technical University of Munich gave shape to plans for the Sechzger Stadion in Munich, Germany, the reconstruction of which is expected to be approved by the City Council this year.

Professor Florian Nagler studied architecture at the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau (a public research university in Kaiserslautern and Landau in der Pfalz, Germany). In 1996, he founded the architectural office Florian Nagler Architekt (an architectural practice based in Munich, Germany). He was appointed to the Chair of Design and Construction at the Technical University of Munich (public university in Munich, Germany) in 2010.

Dantebad is an aquatics venue located in the Greater Munich area of Germany. During the 1972 Summer Olympics it hosted the preliminaries for the water polo competition.

The 15,000-capacity Grünwalder Stadion (also known as the Sechzger Stadion) is a football stadium in Munich, Germany. It was built in 1911 and serves as the residence of the TSV 1860 Munich which plays in the 3. Liga, the third division of the German football league system.

‘Abendzeitung’ further stated that Nagler is known for his simple and sustainable construction methods where the buildings may be dismantled later and is also known as deconstruction. But since huge amount of money is spent in construction so Nagler ensures that for buildings which will be dismantled later scaffolding or temporary wooden structures are used so that the expenses can be justified.

Nagler pointed out that for major events like the World Expos beautiful structures are constructed but later they gather dust – “My objective is not to allow buildings to rot lying unused.”

Germany is actively bidding to host the future Olympic Games specifically targeting the 2036, 2040 or 2044 Summer Olympics. Berlin and Munich are the Cities leading the bids with a focus on using the existing venues and creating a sustainable and inclusive event.

Though the Grünwalder Stadion is primarily a football stadium but the City of Munich plans to host rugby events in the venue if Germany gets to host the future Games. A budget of €40 million has been set aside for the same. But Nagler feels that €40 million is not a whopping amount for a facility of the size of Grünwalder Stadion – “One will be able to just do the minimum upgrades and at the same time measure up to the FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) benchmarks.”

Nyon (Switzerland)-based the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach football in Europe and the transcontinental countries of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Kazakhstan as well as the West Asian countries of Cyprus, Armenia and Israel. The UEFA consists of 55 national association members. Since 2022, due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the FIFA and the UEFA suspended all Russian national teams and clubs from any FIFA and UEFA competitions.

The City Council at one point of time, in-principle, decided to spend 80 million on refurbishing the Grünwalder Stadion. Renovating such an old arena costs an arm and a leg. Professor Nagler opined that the Grünwalder Stadion is a “very complicated construction site as it is located on the Giesinger Heights and the nearby buildings are in close proximity to the main grandstand of the arena. Redecorating the stadium is like reconstructing a train station while it is still in operation”.

The City looks at the above development from the legal lens as they want the site protected and no permission will be granted for building a new structure. The architect feels that the “The West Curve of the stadium is the most beautiful spot” and the same should be preserved from an architectural perspective.

He added, “The way the Curve sweeps over the slope the construction is too good. When it comes to the soundproofing aspect there is not really much to do.”

The Olympic Games can take place in the 74,475-capacity Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany, which is sans a roof. But second-division football is no longer allowed to take place in the venue. Nagler finds this to be “absurd” and says that rules like second-division football not being allowed “is why the whole construction business is becoming so expensive. “The stadia should not be made super comfortable and more import should be given on the escape route and the fire protection measures”.

He says that the four stands of the Grünwalder Stadion are “one-of-a-kind and my viewpoint is that in order to upgrade the stadium too much of demolition should not be allowed and money can be saved by keeping the pristine sheen of the stadium intact. Only upgrading what is absolutely necessary and yet giving a spiffy look to the venue that is what the architects’ job is all about.”

Continued Nagler, “Few of my students have come up with pretty cool ideas like constructing a large arch over the stadium and giving it an urban look. We have done an in-depth study on the stadium and we want to keep its historical heritage untouched. The other design ideas that come to my mind are building apartments above the East Stand with a direct view of the pitch. It would almost be a high-rise building within the stadium! It would also create a unique setting within the stadium itself and the stands below would be well shielded. The whole concept will sit very well.”

Nagler felt that people will come to occupy those apartments if they are made totally sound-proof.

He also averred that there should be a lot of open space skirting the Grünwalder Stadion – “One should always have a concrete strategy in mind. Mindless construction around the stadium should not be allowed to take place and there should an astonishing amount of open space in and around the venue.”

Keeping the environment in mind he made a strong pitch for public transport as a mode for the fans to reach the stadium.

Talking about parking spaces he said, “There is no space above the ground and I and my students have floated the idea of constructing the parking area underneath the playing field with access from the ring.”

Nagler noted that the location where the venue sits is very “appealing and creates an automatic connect with the City of Munich. What hold allure are the pubs all around. On matchdays the entire neighborhood is buzzing. The fact that football is played on Giesing Hills where the stadium sits shapes the feel of the entire district.”

He once suggested the idea of “building Boxes above the West Curve of the arena so that on non-matchdays it would offer a splendid view of the Isar River, the thermal power plant and the City.”

It was a totally out-of-the-‘box’ idea as regards the Boxes above the Curve which would offer not just a view of the stadium but of other attractive spots too.

Nagler concluded by stating, “A major redevelopment plan is a great opportunity. It will allow the Grünwalder Stadion to take on a more urban look and it will also open up cascade of opportunities.”

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