Max-Schmeling-Halle

The Max-Schmeling-Halle is not defined by a single sport, but by the way it holds its shape between them.

Inside, the space is dominated by the blue playing surface. The photographs show the court in use for handball, with players in red and white kits moving across the synthetic floor. The boundaries are marked by a wide, red perimeter that separates the action from the spectators. The seating rises in tiers on one side, packed with red plastic chairs that crowd the wall, while the opposite side offers a view down the length of the hall. Above, the ceiling is a grid of dark panels and bright square lights, but the most striking feature is the basketball hoop hanging from the rafters, a reminder that this floor switches its identity with the season.

The arena does not hide its age. The wooden slats lining the upper wall and the metal railings of the viewing gallery feel more like a sports hall than a modern concert venue. The air in such a place is always thick with the sound of rubber soles on a hard surface and the echo of a coach’s voice. It is a room that has weathered the storm of basketball, handball, and volleyball, switching its layout each time without losing its core. It is not a temple of football, nor is it a cathedral of basketball. It is a working hall in Berlin, where the history between the games played here adds an edge to every match.