The Fraunhoferstraße subway station, which opened in 1980, is getting old. Although the toilets have now been replaced, a major renovation is still planned in the next few years. The Stadtwerke München (SWM) is bringing the subway station up to date with regard to fire protection and safety technology, making it barrier-free and completely redesigning it.
On the one hand, the design is intended to be reminiscent of the namesake, Joseph von Fraunhofer, who, as an optician and inventor, worked on the spectrum of sunlight. On the other hand, the lived queer diversity in the Glockenbach and Gärtnerplatz districts, on whose border the station is located. This was suggested by the Ludwigsvorstadt-Isarvorstadt district committee.
The future color concept is based on the rainbow colors – starting with red tones on the mezzanine at the Klenzestraße entrance, through the yellow platform level to the mezzanine at the Baader-/Reichenbachstraße entrance towards the Isar, which will be designed in blue tones.
In addition to enclosing the entrances at platform level, the fire protection concept also provides for a mechanical smoke extraction system. To do this, the access structure on the corner of Fraunhoferstrasse and Klenzestrasse must be enlarged to a height of around eleven meters.
The facade made of colored glazed ceramic rods should integrate harmoniously into the surroundings and reflect the facade structure and color design of the surrounding buildings. Access to the subway station is kept transparent with floor-to-ceiling glazing.
The fire protection concept envisages enclosing the entrances.
(Photo: MVG)
The modernization of the subway station is still in an early planning phase. SWM expects the building permit to be received by mid-2025. Construction is then planned to be carried out in two phases: early fire protection measures will begin in 2026, and modernization is expected to begin in 2028. The station is expected to be completed in the early 2030s.
Around 40 subway stations are to be renovated in the coming years. In the design, SWM forgoes the cladding of the so-called rear track facades, instead opting for an exposed concrete look. However, the stations should still have their own color scheme, for example on the ceilings.