Olympic Games Munich 1972 - Architecture, landscape and self-portrayal of the Federal Republic of Germany

The Munich Olympic facilities of 1972 are one of the most important highlights of post-war modernism in the Federal Republic of Germany, with which Germany was able to join the ranks of the leading architectural nations.

As a symbol and model for a ‘new Germany’, they reflect the social upheavals and typical architectural forms of the 1960s, but also provide pioneering, innovative impulses for future developments. The architectural history of the 1960s, which has so far only been studied in rudimentary form, and current issues relating to the conservation of buildings from the period mean that the complexes are an urgent desideratum for research. The aim of the project is to present the overall Olympia project in the context of its time of origin by focussing on three areas. In the first part, the components landscape, Olympic Village, roof, temporary architecture and visual design will be analysed in relation to characteristic 1960s features, innovative achievements and reception, while the second part will examine the intentions, implementation and impact of the facilities and the visual design with regard to the external image of the Federal Republic of Germany. A third section deals with the impulses provided by the planners from the context of the ‘Second Stuttgart School’ and the Ulm School of Design and aims to analyse their significance for the modern discourse of the time.

This project has been completed and was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Scientific editor: Dr Elisabeth Spieker.