Riesige Rosi

Conversion of a pedestrian underpass into a free-to-use bouldering hall in Munich Ramersdorf.

Location: close to Rosenheimer Straße 238, 81669 Munich

Year: 2023

Team IFUB*: Bernhard Kurz, Marco Bross, Mikus Druviņš

Together with:
Kraxlkollektiv / planning bouldering walls - www.kraxlkollektiv.de
filamento / light planning - www.filamento.pt

Client: DAV Sektion Oberland - Kraxlkollektiv

In press: SZ 26.09.2023, G+L Magazin für Landschaftsarchitektur und Stadtplanung 02/24, db deutsche bauzeitung 04.2024, bauwelt 11.2024

The Kraxlkollektiv

describes itself on its own website as follows: "We are a young initiative from Munich, [...] that wants to share its passion for bouldering with other people. Our specific goal is to set up several free and publicly accessible bouldering walls in Munich and thus upgrade unused urban spaces. Although bouldering gyms have opened in many places in the most beautiful city in the world in recent years, there is still a lack of low-threshold facilities that are available to all citizens free of charge and accessible without barriers. [...]" The largest project to date to realise this goal is now located in a former underpass below Rosenheimer Straße. With the help of the IFUB*, but above all with a huge number of volunteer hours, a kind of junkspace has been transformed into a freely usable bouldering hall for everyone.

At both ends of the subway, you are greeted by an

explanatory board

with the rules of use. The question of liability was clarified by defining the space as a public playground and approved by TÜV. This makes bouldering at your own risk possible in the first place. On the other side of the underpass, there is also a thank-you board listing all the sponsors and helpers. It is only thanks to a lot of voluntary work and many donations that the Riesige Rosi can be used by everyone free of charge today.

As large parts of the ceiling have not only been painted but also pre-drilled, almost the entire length can be used for bouldering. This results in a usable

bouldering area of approx. 700m2.

Different inclinations of the walls make it possible to set boulders of varying degrees of difficulty.

The floor of the approx. 70 metre long underground passage was covered with soft, red rubber granulate mats as

fall protection.

This cushions falls and controlled jumps in equal measure.

The former solid wood floor

gives the façade of the new storage shed its very own charm. The door to the storage room was also removed from a demolished building, refurbished by hand and reinstalled. Ecological linseed oil paints were used to paint the doors and windows. This was a good example of how the reuse of materials can be an enhancement rather than a spinning or devaluation.

The windows

were also saved from disposal and refurbished like the door. The roof is made of inexpensive galvanized steel. The use of recycled material was also planned here, but unfortunately this plan could not be realised due to time and cost constraints.

The view into the warehouse shows

the former external staircase

with its new roof. A new power connection also had to be laid for the electrics, which has also been installed here.

longitudinal section

view and cross section

floor plan

Landscape Plan

Floor Plan