Munich’s multifunctional masterpiece
When Munich's SAP Garden opened in September 2024, it didn't just add another venue to the city's skyline – it redefined what a modern arena could be. Home to two professional sports teams, and host to a multitude of sport events, this multifunctional masterpiece, operated by Red Bull Stadion München GmbH, needed mobility solutions that could elevate the experience.
Set in the heart of Munich’s historic Olympic Park, the SAP Garden is one of the most modern multifunctional arenas in Europe.
The oval building features a distinctive vertically structured façade – made up of 260 curved pillars inspired by the shape of a hockey stick – and a 13,000 square-meter green roof covered in wildflower meadow. Over 800 photovoltaic modules provide green electricity to supplement a significant portion of the venue's energy needs, underscoring the operator's commitment to environmental responsibility.
But it’s inside where the magic happens. The stadium is home to the city’s ice hockey team EHC Red Bull Munich and the basketball stars of FC Bayern. The arena's flexibly designed stands allow for quick adaptation to different event formats, while the latest acoustic technologies guarantee an outstanding sound experience – ideal for sporting events.
Stronger together
To keep everyone moving smoothly, our team installed nine elevators and four escalators throughout the venue. To make the arena experience of visiting more interactive, we also integrated 12 media solutions – including Schindler DoorShows, Schindler SmartMirrors, and Schindler AdScreens – into the state-of-the-art arena elevators. The technology transforms each elevator ride into an engagement opportunity: event managers can place targeted advertisements, while the screens in the VIP elevators can display personalized video greetings to business partners and guests.
"These products are ideally suited to the SAP Garden, as there isn't a single printed surface, only digital screens," says, Robin Wagner, Head of the Schindler Southeast Region in Germany. "The entire arena can be adapted to any situation at the touch of a button."
This philosophy extends to every detail. Even the escalators adapt to the action. RGB lighting is integrated into the balustrades of the four escalator's that lead up to the VIP area and the base plates can illuminate in over 60 colors – glowing red for FC Bayern basketball games, or blue when EHC Red Bull Munich hits the ice. It's a detail that transforms our mobility solutions into part of the event experience itself.
"The coordination with Red Bull Stadion München GmbH was exceptionally professional. Given the size of the project, it was crucial that everything ran smoothly – there was no alternative. Whenever a problem did arise, we found an effective solution together," says Robin Wagner, Head of the Schindler Southeast Region in Germany.
Always ready for action
To ensure the elevator and escalators are always ready to go no matter what event is up next, all our units at SAP Garden are connected to our local Technical Operations Center. This allows them to be remotely monitored 24/7 so our team can view data without needing to be on-site and potential issues can be dealt with before they become a problem.
The key benefit of this approach is maximizing unit uptime and streamlining maintenance. Remote monitoring enables us to provide a greater level of service, maintaining the highest level of performance week in, week out – matching the standards of excellence set by the athletes who call the arena home.
Beyond installation and maintenance: A living co-lab
Since opening, our team in Germany have been trusted to use the arena as an "innovation hub" – a testament to the partnership’s unique nature and to the trust placed in our expertise. This setup means our team can use the venue to demonstrate our latest products in action, providing yet another role Munich’s multifunctional masterpiece can play.
"We're constantly evolving technologically, and Red Bull Stadion GmbH wants to be at the forefront of the industry. That's why they allow us to test our new products there," explains Robin.
"The team at SAP Garden is dynamic and modern," Robin adds. "This is reflected in their creative use of our products and underscores the innovative power of our collaboration with them on this project."