Ingenieurskunst im Experiment: die Multihalle Mannheim

The Mannheim Multihalle, an outstanding example of engineering architecture, requires substantial renovation work. The unique free-form gridshell, designed by Frei Otto, was originally planned as a temporary structure for Germany's National Garden Show of 1975. After the event, the hall was used in many different ways, but over the years, deformations and damage occurred, making refurbishment necessary. The challenge is to preserve the load bearing characteristics of the structure, meet building code requirements, and preserve the original material as much as possible. The engineering firm Fast+Epp is responsible for the renovation of the roof structure and relies on an experimental approach. An evolutionary optimization algorithm is being used to determine areas of reinforcement and to minimize the amount of additional material. The renovation concept also includes a partial restoration of the geometry of the gridshell in order to improve the load-bearing behavior and to preserve the character of the lightweight structure. As part of the rehabilitation, a trial repair is carried out to gain knowledge of the feasibility and impact of the proposed measures. The renovation of the Multihalle is a complex task in which both technical and monument preservation aspects have to be taken into account.