Munich, July 28, 2022 - Let's go in Hallbergmoos: last year, the SURFTOWN® MUC construction project, Europe's largest surfing facility, was announced to great public attention. Since then, the initiators have consistently driven the project forward and worked closely with the relevant authorities to develop solutions for the structural and technical requirements - in particular, the self-imposed goal of realizing climate-neutral and sustainable concepts required time-consuming discussions and innovative answers.
Numerous representatives from politics, business and the surfing community were invited to the official ground-breaking ceremony at the Munich Airport Business Park in Hallbergmoos today to witness the start of construction work. "We are very pleased and proud that we are now getting closer to our dream of surfing in the Munich metropolitan region every day," says Chris Boehm-Tettelbach, CEO of SURFTOWN® MUC. "My sincere thanks go to the municipality of Hallbergmoos, which has taken on the challenges of our future project with a remarkable pioneering spirit, as well as the responsible authorities."
Josef Niedermair, Mayor of Hallbergmoos: "SURFTOWN® MUC is a historic opportunity for the municipality that will benefit everyone. We have recognized this and have done our utmost to ensure that this extraordinary project can be realized here. We are proving once again what bold and forward-looking steps Hallbergmoos is capable of and that we as a municipality are always one wavelength ahead."
The structural plans developed by Munich-based Maisch Wolf Architekten are now being published for the first time. The new visualizations of SURFTOWN® MUC give a spectacular foretaste of what visitors can expect in the near future in the immediate vicinity of Munich Airport.
The pool, which is 180 meters long, has an organic shape that enables surfing on a "running wave", comparable to the experience on the open sea, along its entire length. The design of the surf center picks up on the water theme architecturally and is reminiscent of the shape of a breaking wave. The overall result is a facility where both athletes and the general public can look forward to a visit with a high recreational value: an outdoor fitness area, a children's playground, the beach area with spacious sunbathing areas and a contemporary gastronomy concept are intended to convey the special surfing vibe, the lifestyle of which has cult status for many people. The aim of the initiators of SURFTOWN® MUC is also to create a meeting place for the region: from onlookers to employees on their lunch break, from young talents to families and children who want to spend an extraordinary day outdoors.
"At the heart of all our planning is the unique surfing experience designed to offer a safe environment for visitors, from complete beginners to Olympians, capturing the passion that this sport inspires," says Michi Mohr, Chief Surfing Officer at SURFTOWN® MUC, responsible for all sports-related matters. "We are developing an entirely new surf school and coaching concept for beginners, intermediate surfers, and professionals, aiming for a relaxed and cool atmosphere." Thanks to the flexible wave design, ranging from 30 cm to 2.5 meters in height, Hallbergmoos will even be able to host international championships.
Innovative Technologies for a Sustainable Sporting Experience
To address various sustainability dimensions, the conception of SURFTOWN® MUC considered ecological, economic, and social factors. The overarching goal is the carbon neutrality of the facility, with a focus on renewable energies and water-saving measures:
90 percent of the energy requirements for the surfing facility and ancillary buildings will be met by photovoltaic systems installed on the premises and a local open space. The remaining electricity demand will be covered by green electricity from the local grid.
The water supply plan for the facility ensures that no valuable drinking water is used: it will be sourced from local groundwater, abundantly available due to the marshy topography of Hallbergmoos. Special filtration systems and a circulating water system will further minimize consumption.
To make visitors' arrivals and departures as eco-friendly as possible, incentives will be offered to public transport users and drivers of electric cars, e-scooters, and bicycles. Adequate electronic charging infrastructure in the parking areas will also be provided.
Innovative technologies also characterize the wave generator to be used in SURFTOWN® MUC, forming the heart of the surf park. Artificial waves are generated by a pneumatic chamber system that converts overpressure into wave energy. This technically sophisticated system, named "Endless Surf," provided by the Canadian firm WhiteWater West, will debut globally at SURFTOWN® MUC. It is capable of producing continuous waves over two meters high at intervals of about ten seconds across the entire length of the pool.
Paul Chutter, President of WhiteWater and Endless Surf, states, "With our customizable waves for the already vibrant surf community around the Eisbach, Munich will further establish itself as a surfing hub in Germany and beyond. We are incredibly honored to contribute to this rich surf culture together with the dynamic team at SURFTOWN® MUC. This moment marks a significant milestone for all of us, and we can hardly wait to roll out the Endless Surf waves in Munich."
"Our innovative and sustainable technologies have undergone a planning and approval process that was very time-consuming," says Chris Boehm-Tettelbach. "Nevertheless, our plan is to gradually open the facility for trial operations in autumn 2023, offering all visitors the full SURFTOWN® MUC experience by spring 2024." SURFTOWN® MUC is being developed at Lilienthalstraße 12 in Hallbergmoos.
Adjacent to SURFTOWN® MUC, the project developer Rock Capital Group is constructing the HYBRID ONE, a unique lifestyle quarter in Europe, featuring a boulevard, showrooms, gastronomy, retail, as well as state-of-the-art and flexible office and laboratory spaces. The goal: To redefine leisure and work over 30,000 square meters. Workspaces overlooking surfers, open spaces for strolling and resting, and areas for encounters and fun. The facility is expected to be completed in 2025 and operate as an Immune Office, significantly reducing the risk of viral infections.
Pictures of the ground-breaking ceremony in Hallbergmoos are available on request
About SURFTOWN® MUC
The independent project developer SURFTOWN® Hallbergmoos GmbH is currently building a 20,000 square meter artificial surfing facility in the heart of the Munich Airport Business Park (MABP) that is unique in Europe. Waves generated in an environmentally friendly way and individually adjustable by means of pressure conversion will offer a unique sports, training and leisure experience - for professionals and beginners as well as for all other interested parties of all ages. The entire system of the facility is designed to be CO2-neutral and relies on renewable energies and a sustainable water concept. The initiators of SURFTOWN® MUC share a fascination for surfing: The founders Chris Boehm-Tettelbach, Michi Mohr and Jonas Boehm-Tettelbach as well as the first investors Dr. Thomas Heinrich, Conrad Albert, Erik Dahl, Dr. Jan Ehrhardt and Gerfried Schuller.
Press contact SURFTOWN® MUC
dot.communications
Matthias Bohlig
Tel: 089/530797-21
[email protected]
