From Riem to the top of the world (1984–1993)

In July 1985, trade fair director Werner Marzin issued a historic position paper in which he called for the company to relocate to a new site: “In the end, the trade fair location of Munich can grow healthfully only if a new location is found.” Marzin already had a specific site in mind: “In consideration of all options, the most favorable solution seems to be using part of the location of the Munich-Riem airport that is being taken out of service.”

The idea of relocating the exhibition grounds began its journey through government agencies in the mid-1980s. Two important hurdles were cleared: The Bavarian Cabinet expressed its support for the location in Riem on September 23, 1986.

In 1987, the decision was made to build a new building on the Riem airport site: a completely new district was to be created in Munich Riem—with apartments, kindergartens, schools, green spaces and stores in the immediate vicinity of the New Munich Trade Fair Center. There is no comparable project anywhere in Europe.

The vision of the trade fair relocation began to take on concrete shape at the beginning of the 1990: A completely new city district was to be created in Munich Riem—with apartments, kindergartens, schools, green spaces and stores in the immediate neighborhood of the new Messe München site. No such project was being conducted anywhere else in Europe.

1991 Messe München and the Bavarian state capital of Munich initiated an urban-planning idea competition across Europe. The new Messe München site was to be located in the heart of a bustling residential area—the focus was placed on designing an entire city district. A total of 75 applications were submitted, and the winner was selected in July 1991: the Frankfurt architect Jürgen Frauenfeld.

The idea competition was followed by a realization competition in 1992: The contract to perform the specific planning of the New Messe München was issued to the architectural firm Bystrup, Bregenhoj & Partner of Denmark, a group whose light, modern architecture won over the jury. A planning organization was set up. The Bavarian state capital of Munich created the requirements for construction law.

The MOC Event and Order Center opened in northern Munich in 1993. Designed and developed by star architect Helmut Jahn, the building operated by Messe München set new standards: as an event center for highly specialized professional and popular general-public trade fairs like the audio exhibition HIGH END and the motorcycle exhibition IMOT or as an order center for sporting goods and shoe retailers.