Sendlinger Küche – A Laboratory on the Theme of Food
Master’s thesis Summer 2024

Published by the Department of Design and Space Planning (Prof. Johanna Meyer-Grohbrügge, Robert Anton M.Sc., Dipl.-Ing. Katharina Volgger)

In the Munich district of Sendling, at the intersection of the historic Sendlinger center and the Munich wholesale market, a new architectural development is emerging, dedicated to the theme of food production and research. The “Sendlinger Küche” (Sendling Kitchen) is a place that not only integrates the existing local functions on the outskirts of the wholesale market, such as the producers' community—a group of local gardening businesses—but also houses a so-called “Food Lab”: a laboratory for entrepreneurs, researchers, and the residents of Sendling. The new center aims to increase the visibility and appreciation of food. Through the public presentation and celebration of “food,” a new urban productive practice is being explored, one that supports the exchange between rural and urban production. This thesis work focuses on making these invisible connections visible. It investigates how this service architecture contributes to promoting productivity in urban spaces.

The thesis work deals with the repurposing and expansion or redesign of the so-called “Gärtnerhalle” (Gardener's Hall), which was built in the 1970s. Local vegetable vendors were to have a covered place to sell their goods near the wholesale market. Today, the sale of goods takes place from 2:30 AM until about 9:00 AM, and the hall remains unused for the rest of the day. The space is now to be expanded. Three programmatic areas will be created within the new center named “Sendlinger Küche.”

The “Sendlinger Küche” as a Supply Center: The existing producers' community supplies Munich with fresh products from the surrounding region.

The “Sendlinger Küche” as a Recycling Center: It demonstrates, through various methods, the transformation of food waste into valuable products or by-products.

The “Sendlinger Küche” as a Production and Research Center: In a synergistic system, food is grown here. Additionally, “Sendlinger Küche” conducts research and provides education in the area of (balanced) nutrition. A variety of kitchen studios will serve as open infrastructure for schools, associations, and interested parties.

The existing Gärtnerhalle is to be adapted or renovated as much as possible. The site, with its new function, is viewed as an urban junction. The strategic position of the “Sendlinger Küche” allows for the connection of both the Sendling district and the wholesale market area, both urbanistically and programmatically.

Sendlinger Küche <3

The current Gärtnerhalle (Gardeners' Hall) of the Erzeugergemeinschaft Großmarkt München is currently used solely as a sales area for vendors. The market operates in the early morning hours, leaving the building underutilized for the rest of the day. The design aims to make the Gärtnerhalle future-proof by transforming it into a multifunctional space. The existing structure will be expanded with an additional upper floor, providing new functions such as kitchen studios, classrooms, and dining areas, which will complement the ongoing market operations.

In the future, the Gärtnerhalle will serve as a foyer for the surrounding users, offering fresh vegetables for purchase as people pass through on their way to their kitchens. Vertical connections within the building will be made through a network of food lifts and various sightlines. A new technical level, which will include storage and refrigeration spaces, will provide air, water, electricity, and biogas to both the new upper floor and the existing ground floor. The technical level is designed to be easily accessible, with plug-and-play interfaces from any point on the upper floor.

The new structure will seamlessly integrate with the existing building, maintaining consistent materials and adding additional supports to the ground floor. A large open framework on the technical level will create an open, flexible floor plan that can be used for a variety of activities. A new grid will be introduced, following the existing division of the building and zoning the new space accordingly. The reinterpreted shed roof will provide even, indirect lighting for each of the kitchen studios, enhancing the atmosphere of the space and supporting the functional activities within.

Awarded the departmental prize for the best Master's thesis

SENDLINGER KÜCHENGEMEINSCHAFT

Center for Research, Education, and Experience in Food Cycles

The Sendlinger Küchengemeinschaft is a space that not only integrates existing local functions at the edge of Munich's Großmarkt, such as the Erzeugergemeinschaft (Producer Community), but also serves as a laboratory for entrepreneurs, researchers, and residents of Sendling. It promotes the visibility and appreciation of food as a subject. Users and visitors will experience the entire food production process. The three main objectives of this project are: to activate the existing, currently underutilized hall of the Erzeugergemeinschaft, to spatially connect different user groups, and to make the processes of the food industry tangible.

By creating a spatial connection between the private users of the Erzeugergemeinschaft, research kitchens, and the public areas of the building, such as rental kitchens and cafes, the project aims to foster exchange on the topic of food. This will allow visitors, including school groups during project weeks, to experience the food industry's processes firsthand.

Extending the Structural Framework

The existing steel structure of the Gärtnerhalle will be extended in alignment with the urban planning situation. This will create a branching shed roof structure, serving as a large, inviting gesture toward the Sendling neighborhood.

Framing the Roof Movement

At the endpoints of the roof structure, closed functional blocks will be added, following the existing grid.

Organization

The two blocks will house all the auxiliary functions of the Gärtnerhalle and the research building. Due to the different usage phases of the building, these functions can largely be used jointly at different times. Beneath the large shared roof, a freely usable space will emerge, offering versatility for a variety of activities.

Sendlinger Küche – A Laboratory on the Topic of Food

The project “Sendlinger Küche” aims to promote sustainability and flexibility in the use of existing urban spaces. The core idea of the design is to preserve as much of the existing building structure as possible. This not only helps conserve resources and minimize the ecological footprint but also preserves the communal memories of the residents.

Temporal Overlap and Multifunctional Use

A key feature of the design is the temporal overlap of different uses within the same space. The existing herb, vegetable, and fruit wholesale market, which operates early in the morning, is complemented by a flexible spatial concept. In the morning and afternoon, the space transforms into a kitchen studio, classroom, and exhibition area. This transformation is made possible by the use of crates that serve as flexible and mobile furniture pieces.

Flexible Crate System

Inspired by the crates commonly used in the wholesale market, a system of crates in various sizes has been developed. These crates are not only suitable for storing vegetables but can also be stacked to create furniture. Due to their flexibility, they can be moved and arranged according to need within the space to support various functions.

Addressing Urban Space Shortages

The Sendlinger Küche concept addresses the growing scarcity of space in urban areas. By utilizing spaces multifunctionally at different times of the day, the need for new construction sites is reduced.

Sendlinger Küche – A Laboratory on the Topic of Food

The Gärtnerhalle is located at the intersection between the wholesale market area and the lively district of Sendling, which is characterized by a mix of housing, work, culture, and leisure. Originally planned as the center of Sendling, the wholesale market area is set to be restructured to address the growing housing shortage, with the Sendlinger Küche being added to this transformation.

The goal is to merge the functions and create a seamless and low-threshold transition between the two areas. This involves integrating the residents of the district, the surrounding schools, as well as new users and businesses, in order to strengthen the city-to-rural connection. The Sendlinger Küche represents an open building dedicated to food production and processing, which can be used around the clock by visitors and users alike.

The building will be extended along its main axis to both sides, thus acting as a filter between the public and private areas of the wholesale market. The volume evolves from the existing hall. To the south, towards the city, the volume sets a clear edge, creating a new urban plaza. The kitchen studios function as a kind of display window, animating the square. The linear alignment and passage of the existing hall are maintained.

The focus is on the communicative areas, which encourage sightlines, visual connections, informal exchanges, and the activation of the building. This space connects research, teaching, experimentation, socializing, and eating, linking the kitchen studios with the city ground and the Gärtnerhalle.