ZAM – foundations laid for the new centre in Munich’s west
Freiham in Munich is currently one of Europe’s biggest neighbourhood developments. Today, guests celebrated the foundations being laid for its new multifunctional centre, ZAM, which is set to form the heart of this new neighbourhood.
Around 200 invitees looked on as, in time-honoured tradition, a time capsule featuring the day’s newspaper, a current set of coins, a tool and the blueprints were sealed in the foundation. They included Munich’s deputy Mayor Katrin Habinschaden, who highlighted the importance of the project for Freiham: “ZAM represents Freiham’s new and vibrant centre. Being able to do everyday errands and tasks close to home strengthens identity and promotes local mobility in the area.” City planner Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Merk added: “The arcade design gives the new centre ZAM an architectural identity all its own and a sense of space. Here, a square is being created as a place for interaction and integration.”
The ROSA-ALSCHER Group and Deutsche Wohnen SE are working closely with the city of Munich to bring the ZAM project to life. The ROSA-ALSCHER group is the original investor and was in charge of the competition, chaired by Alexander Rosa-Alscher. Each of the project partners is developing two of the four sites around Mahatma-Gandhi-Platz. QUARTERBACK Immobilien AG subsidiary Isaria München Projektentwicklungs GmbH is handling implementation of the construction for Deutsche Wohnen.
“With this urban centre, we’re creating a major driver for the west of Munich and beyond,’ said Alexander Rosa-Alscher, owner of the ROSA-ALSCHER Group, highlighting the importance of the development, which is an integral part of the Munich-Augsburg metropolitan area. “I’m particularly pleased with the architectural flourishes we’ve created here in the form of the spacious arcades, which bring indoor and outdoor areas together into a single whole."
Konstantina Kanellopoulos, CO-CEO of Deutsche Wohnen SE, emphasised the neighbourhood’s contribution to tackling the lack of living space and the importance of sustainable construction: “With ZAM, Deutsche Wohnen hopes to contribute to creating urgently-needed living space in Munich. At the same time, we are helping build a healthy, environmentally-friendly Munich, guided by the highest standards for sustainability.”
By summer 2024, the ZAM project will have produced several buildings with versatile spaces combining working and living, shopping and dining. Over 470 residential units, modern offices and two underground parking garages will be built. Alongside the iconic residential high-rise building – reaching 60 metres high – there will be four buildings which surround the neighbourhood square with arcade passageways on three sides. They will be home to restaurants and shops for dining and browsing. The Bildungscampus school complex and vast residential area of Freiham-Nord is right on its doorstep.
The ZAM has direct links to public and private transport and should become a meeting point and magnet for all residents of Freiham, as well as residents of Munich and commuters from the surrounding area. One day, 35,000 people will live around this central square.
The construction of the new centre is certified by the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), each with the goal of the Gold standard. Accordingly, digital solutions, as well as renewable energy from photovoltaic systems on all horizontal roof surfaces and heating using cost-efficient and eco-friendly district heating from the neighbouring geothermal plant, are helping save on resources.
In the years to come, the area north of Bodenseestraße in Munich’s Freiham district will see the creation of around 90,000 square metres of floor space, with around 10,500 residential units and 15,000 jobs.
ROSA-ALSCHER Group: As one of Munich’s leading project developers, the ROSA-ALSCHER Group has helped create architecture that shapes the city for decades now. The owner-operated group plans, develops and creates real estate properties with outstanding aesthetics and technical facilities that offer attractive long-term investment prospects. Led by founder Alexander Rosa-Alscher, the Group covers the entire value chain, from the initial idea to going on the market. Its strategic focus is service development.
Deutsche Wohnen SE: Deutsche Wohnen is one of the leading publicly listed real estate companies in Europe and part of the Vonovia group. The focus of the company’s operations is on managing its own residential property portfolio in dynamic metropolitan areas and conurbations in Germany. Deutsche Wohnen believes it is its responsibility and duty as an organisation to preserve and develop affordable living space in vibrant neighbourhoods offering excellent quality of life. As of 31 March 2022, its portfolio comprised around 143,200 units, of which around 140,600 are residential and around 2,600 commercial. In Munich and the surrounding area, the company manages almost 1,000 residential units and is currently working on another major new construction project in the city in the shape of “Hofmark am Olympiapark”.
Isaria München Projektentwicklungs GmbH: Isaria specialises in the development of sustainable buildings and neighbourhoods in urban centres. All projects undergo sustainability analysis as standard, from purchase through to construction. The aim is always to develop urban neighbourhoods offering maximum quality of life with the most efficient use of resources – like on the site of the MD paper factory in Dachau, where 1,000 residential units are set to take shape in the years to come. Isaria is a QUARTERBACK Immobilien AG company.