NVZ Itzling Center / Lechner & Lechner Architects

Architecture Consortium: ARGE L – S – S Lechner Schallhammer Scheicher
Architects & Designers: Lechner & Lechner Architects, Johannes Schallhammer, Architekten Scheicher ZT GmbH
Built Area: 10,500 m²
Site Area: 8,300 m²
Year: 2024
Photography: Julian Höck
Principal Architect: Johannes Schallhammer & Christine Lechner
Design Team: Johannes Schallhammer, Christine Lechner, Hans Werner Scheicher
Landscape: Idealice Landschaftsarchitektur
Structural Engineer: Dipl.-Ing. Johann Lienbacher
Construction: RHZ Bau GmbH
Supervision: SABAG GmbH
Client: Raiffeisenverband Salzburg
City: Salzburg
Country: Austria

NVZ Itzling Center, a local supply center designed by Lechner & Lechner Architects, Johannes Schallhammer, and Architekten Scheicher ZT GmbH in Salzburg, integrates urban connectivity with ecological strategies. Completed in 2024, the project features a 200-meter-long glazed façade that enhances interaction with the streetscape, sculptural upper volumes optimizing daylight, and a publicly accessible green terrace with over 40 trees and 2,000 plants. This intervention improves climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable mobility while reinforcing the area’s architectural identity.

Nvz itzling center / lechner & lechner architects

For us, every building is a Gesamtkunstwerk—a total work of art—composed of many interwoven aspects. It begins with a strong urban planning concept that responds to both the urban and natural landscape, creating added value for its surroundings. It culminates in meticulously crafted details, down to the last handle.
Interview with Christine Lechner of Lechner & Lechner Architects

The NVZ Itzling Center in Salzburg-Itzling exemplifies contemporary architecture’s role in merging urban engagement with environmental sustainability. Developed through an architectural competition initiated by Raiffeisenverband Salzburg, the winning design by Johannes Schallhammer, in collaboration with Lechner & Lechner Architects and Architekten Scheicher ZT GmbH, was realized by the architectural consortium ARGE L – S – S Lechner Schallhammer Scheicher. A key feature of the project is its 200-meter-long glazed façade at street level, which establishes a strong connection with Raiffeisenstraße. This transparent frontage activates the urban realm, capturing reflections and light that animate the streetscape. The open ground floor further strengthens the relationship between interior and exterior, reinforcing the center’s role as an active component of the city.

Ascending through the structure, the façade transitions into a dynamic composition of angular, three-dimensional elements. These sculptural surfaces contribute to a sense of movement while serving a functional role in daylight modulation, enhancing interior comfort. The materiality and detailed articulation of the façade create a distinct architectural language that balances expressive form with technical performance. An integral part of the design is the publicly accessible green terrace on the first floor, which introduces an ecological layer into the predominantly industrial surroundings. With over 40 trees and 2,000 plants, this elevated landscape provides a rare instance of urban greenery, offering a space for social engagement while softening the built environment.

Beyond its social and aesthetic contributions, the terrace enhances climate resilience by mitigating urban heat island effects and supporting biodiversity. Integrated into the city’s pedestrian and cycling networks, it aligns with sustainable mobility strategies while strengthening links to the adjacent Goethesiedlung. By balancing transparency at the ground level with sculptural articulation above, the NVZ Itzling Center establishes a strong architectural presence within Salzburg-Itzling’s evolving cityscape. The project demonstrates how contemporary architecture can transcend pure functionality, shaping environments that are both responsive and forward-thinking.