Customised air curtain system for heritage-protected Old Congresshall

The Old Congresshall in Munich is an architectural gem from the post-war economic boom. In order to preserve the distinctive interior architectural character of the foyer, Systemair has developed a project-specific air curtain system for the entrance that spans all external doors - in a design typical of the period with a polished brass panelling.

An architectural gem

The Old Congress Hall (Alte Kongresshalle) is one of the original buildings of the former exhibition centre on Munich’s Theresienhöhe. Designed by architects Etzold, Strobl, and Freymuth, it was constructed between 1952 and 1953 and stood as the largest hall of its kind, serving as a central event venue for Messe München until 1998.

Following an extensive restoration and refurbishment carried out by the Edith-Haberland-Wagner Foundation, the heritage-listed building reopened in 2007—revived with its original post-war design and equipped with modern, state-of-the-art technology. Today, the Old Congress Hall hosts a variety of cultural and social events, both public and private. In addition to the main hall with gallery, the venue offers a stage with direct access to a separate side wing, the gallery of the entrance hall, and a landscaped inner courtyard restored according to its original 1950s plans.

As an architectural icon from Germany’s post-war economic boom era, the Old Congress Hall required a ventilation solution that would meet contemporary comfort and energy efficiency standards—without compromising its historical character. To meet this challenge, Systemair was commissioned to develop a custom air curtain system for the entrance area, designed to span all external doors.

The newly installed air curtain aimed to thermally condition the wide-opening vestibule and the equally spacious reception area, maintaining interior comfort while preserving the building’s distinctive architectural identity.

Maintaining the unique design

Originally, this function was carried out by a displacement ventilation system embedded in the floor. However, it no longer met current standards for comfort and energy efficiency. The vestibule, with its large glazed double doors framed in anthracite-coloured steel and finished with brass fittings, faces north—making it particularly vulnerable to cold air infiltration. Beyond airflow dynamics, a constant influx of cold air had to be addressed, especially during standing receptions in the foyer of the Old Congress Hall, where guests were frequently exposed to uncomfortable draughts.

Under these conditions, the need for an air curtain system became clear. It had to reliably regulate airflow while mitigating the continuous intrusion of cold air.

At the same time, the entrance doors form a key architectural feature of the building. From a technical standpoint, any solution was required to integrate harmoniously with the overall aesthetic and meet clearly defined visual and design standards.

An specially-crafted solution

In close cooperation with the manufacturer Systemair, the ventilation specialists from W. Kalmbach GmbH & Co. KG in Egenburg presented architect Freyer with a special air curtain construction that encompasses the entire door area like a gate, incorporating all the key design elements of the historic surroundings. As a three-part system with an air flow rate of 7,400 m³, it ensures the required shielding of the foyer against the ingress of cold air, including thermal conditioning, even with high temperature differences between inside and outside.

The solution was an air curtain system developed by Systemair, crafted entirely from polished brass and designed as a self-supporting arch that spans the entire doorway. With its striking brass cladding in a style typical of the building’s era, Systemair succeeded in preserving the architectural integrity and character of the foyer, but at the same time prevents turbulent and disruptive air flows from occurring outside the doors.

Secondly, the entire housing of the air curtain system was custom-made by Systemair from polished sheet brass. This enabled a perfect match with the original brass fittings and applications on the swing doors and in the foyer, typical of the period, without having to compromise on performance features such as the heating output of around 36 kW and cooling output of around 20 kW. In both cases, with barely perceptible air currents.

The oval air curtain system, designed like an archway, is almost the "icing on the cake" of a thoroughly modernised overall ventilation concept that encompasses the entire structure.