Kunstpark Ost-- it should be criminal to have so much fun.
Atop fashion journal calls it “One of the most ambitious projects in Europe.” The Chemical Brothers—the band that decisively contributed to the soundtrack of the British cult movie Trainspotting—extols, “It is the best place in the world to party!” One of Germany’s leading magazines, Stern , marvels, “It is a city within a city. Munich suddenly seems like New York!”All the flap is about Kunstpark Ost, the 80,000-sqm property located behind Munich’s Ostbahnhof. KPO, as insiders have lovingly dubbed it, was originally to be but a temporary arrangement. Wolfgang Nöth, Kunstpark mastermind, nonplussed by the time limitation, was determined to make something big out of the opportunity. The 58-year-old Bavarian previously headed the event center at the former airport in Riem, until the terminals were demolished to make room for the New Conference Center. In Riem, Nöth had established a very successful alternative cultural scene by providing space for numerous concerts and techno parties, which were wildly popular in the early 1990s. The closing of the party platform in Riem left a large gap in Munich’s offerings for young people at night. When Pfanni, one of Germany’s largest potato product manufacturers, decided to shut down their factory in the east of Munich, unconventional thinker Nöth saw an opportunity to lease the Pfanni property and re-establish the activities at a more accessible venue.
In September 1996, the city of Munich approved Nöth’s plans and, within six months, the entrepreneur rented out almost every space on the former factory site. In no time, Europe’s largest event area was created. Today, the site employs more than 700 people—more than Pfanni did—and attracts over 300,000 visitors a month.
Sixty artists converted one section of KPO into film, photo and music studios. Thanks to Nöth’s generosity, a kindergarten has been given cost-free space on the property. In addition, Munich’s only school for strippers is located at KPO. MUNICH FOUND also benefits from Kunstpark—the magazine’s printer has its offices there.
Kunstpark Ost is also host to many unique attractions. Heavens Gate, for example, maintains Europe’s highest indoor climbing wall. Run by a group of young people who, at one time, gave climbing lessons to the disabled, the sport center beckons anyone daring enough to scale the 30-m-high wall, which reaches all the way up to the former potato hoppers. This extraordinary experience, accompanied by raucous rock music, can be enjoyed daily from 10 am–11 pm. For further information, call (089) 40 90 88 03. But beware: your first clumsy climbing attempts may be captured by one of the many film crews who cover this hip and trendy spot. If you prefer sun, sand and sea to the mountains, the Munich Beach Club (Tel. [089] 45 09 85 90) provides an indoor respite from wintery weather as well as the sand to train for the next beach volleyball competition in summer.
On Friday and Saturday mornings and afternoons, the lanes throughout the KPO complex are lined with a mammoth flea market. Here, you can search for treasures among tons of kitsch and bric-a-brac. Or, you can purvey your own surplus goods that have been rotting in your garage. Those interested in ridding themselves of a bit of white elephant must line up at 5 am (Friday and/or Saturday) in front of the Kunstpark and pay a small fee to set up a stand. In addition to the areas where the public is invited to hawk their wares, KPO is home to a two-story hall where professionals sell second-hand items. The city’s largest antique market is in full swing next door.
Just about all walks of life are encountered at KPO’s flea market. Next to a loving grandmother trying to find affordable pants for her fast-growing grandchild, a young couple may be rejoicing over an attractive 1920s lamp naively tagged at a price far below its value. It is very likely that all three will encounter a weary-eyed clubber who, at noon, still has not found his bed.
At dusk, KPO is a long way from shutting its gates. On the contrary, the main event has yet to begin. Seven nights a week, the venue is open to revelers until dawn. In addition to concerts featuring top artists, theme bars and discos, KPO’s nighttime offerings include a slot machine hall and, in summer, numerous beer gardens that are open long after the legal 11 pm closing hour observed by their neighborhood counterparts.
For years, the club Ultraschall has been voted one of Germany’s best clubs by national music magazines. Internationally renowned DJs have spun records here. Bear in mind, however, that celebrity DJs seldom start their sets before 2 am and you must arrive at this club very early to get in. The Milchbar is another beloved KPO club at which the eager partier should arrive long before others come or after they have gone. Known to have the strictest door policies in town and often compared to the ultra-trendy P1, this club was granted a rare after-hours permit, which allows its proprietors to keep the party going until 10 am. The Keller entertains with rock and punk nostalgia. It is, therefore, no wonder that lacerated denim and long ponytails are the dress code here. At present, the nightclub Stars is the spot where fashion is at least as important as the music that is played. Babylon is the disco dinosaur of Kunstpark Ost. A huge hall filled with furious strains of techno music, the club attracts visitors mostly from Munich’s suburbs. For more information on all of KPO’s many clubs and events, pick up the free Kunstpark Ost magazine on site. A visit to www.kunstpark.de is also a convenient way to gather the latest information on concerts and special events.
Although KPO is jam-packed on Saturday and Sunday nights, city police are nowhere in sight! This is because this enclave of entertainment boasts its own efficient security team. Undercover officers, dressed in the appropriate “camouflage”-—including the latest in sneaker fashion—are scattered thoughout the complex nightly.
Though Kunstpark Ost should be recognized as a city asset, critics—many of whom deem themselves to be “party purists”—have denounced Kunstpark organizers as shameless trendsetters to the masses and hold them responsible for overshadowing all of Munich’s other nightlife activities. Though the naysayers may have a point, they are, perhaps, focusing on only half of the picture. An entire counter-culture has arisen from the controversy, one that takes pride in having nothing to do with the Kunstpark Ost—many find it is hip to avoid the rocking real estate. Let’s make no bones about it, however: for those who love to party, there is no way around Kunstpark Ost. Even the purist of purists has to admit to having set foot on park grounds at least once, if only to get food at 4 am, when the restaurant Nachtkantine or the burger and Döner booths at KPO are the only places in town serving meals at that hour.
Only ten months remain to enjoy the diverse offers described above. On January 31, 2003, Kunstpark Ost will celebrate its final party. After that, the area will be used for new housing and office projects. But the Kunstpark will not die. New premises, Kunstpark Nord in Fröttmanning, are in the planning. It will be located right next to Munich’s new soccer stadium and could open in 2006, if the city reaches a final decision in time. In the meantime, innovative Nöth has come up with what he calls “the high-class variation of the Kunstpark.” Munich’s pop culture king has acquired another abandoned factory near Ostbahnhof. Though the Optimol tract (the Optimol firm formerly produced lubricants) is smaller than KPO, it will provide a location for selected events. Nöth also plans to open a design center, where he intends to sell cult objects from the 1950s. And he has already opened the restaurant Marktwirtschaft on the site and intends to rent three other party locations to the most successful event organizers of KPO. But prior to all these changes be sure to check out the remaining highlights at the Kunstpark Ost, a truly extraordinary and unique party venue in Europe.
Kunstpark Ost
Grafingerstr. 6
Tel. (089) 49 00 29 28
U5 & S Ostbahnhof
www.kunstpark.de
