What does it take to create a sustainable meeting place that transforms Munich's tradition as home to an urban mix of work, living, and artisanal production into the 21st century?
The response to this question is provided by the brand and destination development experts at Dan Pearlman. Their client is Hines, a global investor, developer, and manager of real estate, who is planning the redesign of the MediaWorks area and its transformation into LOVT in Munich, along with Union Investment, a leading real estate investment manager.
LOVT is located between Munich’s East Train Station and Carl-Price Square in the up-and-coming Werksviertel district. Since the 1990s, this former production site has developed into a lively location with more than 100 companies. The infrastructure is enriched by restaurants, stores, cultural institutions, sports, a conference center, doctors, childcare, and the newly planned concert hall at the heart of the quarter.
The name LOVT Munich is derived from the love for Munich (LOVE), the connection to cultural institutions, the character-defining nature of the Werksviertel, and the site’s status as a former production facility (LOFT). The V stands for connection, change, playfulness, and responsibility. LOVT is planned as a sustainable transformation project and meeting place for people from the Werksviertel, the neighborhood, and the entire city.
To turn the old MediaWorks into the new LOVT, the area must undergo a comprehensive renovation program between 2023 and 2029. The goal of the revitalization is to transform the largely vacant 96,000 square meters into a sustainable, modern, and mixed-use building ensemble that includes a hybrid mix of office, restaurant, culture, and creative spaces.
A significant aspect of the regeneration is a comprehensive ESG strategy, which aims to preserve a large portion of the existing buildings and renovate them sustainably while maintaining their DNA. A special focus is on the use of environmentally friendly materials, including wood or a wood-hybrid combination. The sustainability concept aims to meet the highest technical standards and create an attractive and sustainable rental space for future users. The building and its technical equipment are also designed to achieve CO2-neutral operation.
With the modernization of existing factory buildings and the addition of pioneering architecture and open spaces, a place is being created on the former site that centers on human interaction. LOVT is a meeting point for current and future users, for the people of the neighborhood and the city.
The individual buildings of the ensemble are given a “face” through attractive ground-floor utility and enhance the value of the office properties. The courtyards and roof landscapes become colorful, playful, and accessible, and offer maximum quality of stay through a unique open space and green concept. Cultural offerings and multi-use spaces create social meeting spots for lunch breaks, after-work events, and all user groups. The new Munich mix creates a holistic and lively ecosystem in the spirit of the 15-minute city.
Alexander Möll, managing director of Hines Real Estate, says: “With all our project developments, we want to create places that put people at the center. LOVT will become the southern gateway to the Werksviertel and connect the entire city quarter with the immediate neighborhood and the city. By preserving the existing structures, it continues the industrial heritage of the Werksviertel and yet reinterprets it. Thus, the development aims to lead the Werksviertel into a modern future: sustainable, diverse, and of course, our credo, with a meaningful ESG strategy.”
Monika Gerdes, the head of the Manage to Core department at Union Investment, adds: “Part of the area will be specifically opened for culture and creative individuals who reflect the productive spirit of the neighborhood and the vibrant urbanity. The center of the LOVT building ensemble consists of courtyards, which are created by a pavilion and intensive greening, a place for meeting and interaction. A large roof terrace creates exclusive areas for tenants and additional spaces that invite the neighborhood and the population to linger. Thus, LOVT creates a real ecological and social mix and aims to offer added value for a good coexistence of neighbors, tenants, and visitors of the Munich population.”
For more information about LOVT Munich, visit: www.lovt-munich.com
